New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the Centre needs to bring transparency in its efforts to combat the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic before lifting the nationwide lockdown, which is set to end on May 17.


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The former Congress president said that the nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus is not like an on-off switch and stressed on the need to bring a physiological change in the minds of the people before lifting the lockdown.


In a video conference with mediapersons, the Congress MP from Kerala`s Wayanad, said, "We have been having internal discussions on the suggestions that we would be giving to the government."


Rahul said the country is beginning to run into a little bit of a problem. "There is a strong feeling that we need to immediately release packages to the MSMEs, give money in the hands of the poor, and have a strategy for the migrants besides preparing for the opening of the lockdown," he said.


Rahul Gandhi also urged the Central government to show bring some "transparency" in its actions. "We need to understand that when they lift the lockdown, what would be the criteria for it, what are the boxes they want to tick before actually initiating the process. It is important that the government tells the people about these criteria," the Congress leader said.


"We simply cannot continue without providing support to the people who are suffering due to the lockdown," he added. The Congress leader further said that the lockdown is not only switching on a key, but it also requires several things to happen, it needs a psychological change.


The Gandhi scion warned that the COVID-19 disease is currently very dangerous for the elderly, and people with ailments like diabetes, cardiac problem, and lung disease.


"We need to bring a psychological change in the minds of the people. If the government wants to open up, it has to turn this fear into a sense of confidence. Otherwise, people will start going out the moment the lockdown is lifted," he said.


"We need a strategy to open up the lockdown. A massive transition is required... it requires coordination between the states, the Central government, district magistrates, and many others. That is the challenge the government faces," he said.


Replying to a question about the state of migrants who are being forced to walk hundreds of kilometers, the Congress leader said, "Start putting money directly into accounts of 50 per cent of India`s poor households, it is going to cost Rs 65,000 crores, it will transform the way people are thinking about the current situation. We have to understand when you are on daily wages you do not have a choice, we have to give them a choice."


"We are in an emergency and the idea of injecting a sum of Rs 7,500 directly into the hands of poor is critical and it is not such a big price. Secondly, the idea that we can simply let our job creators drown is not feasible, we have to protect them," he added. 


He added that 100 days of guaranteed wage employment under MGNREGA should be doubled to 200 days to provide more relief and avenues to earn. He said that a strategy needs to be devised to open the lockdown placed to curb the spread of coronavirus and added that transparency is needed in the Central government`s actions in this regard. 


This was the second interaction of the Congress leader with the media in the last month amid the nationwide lockdown.