Poor must get ₹5,000 in their accounts if lockdown is extended: Owaisi

Hyderabad: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi suggested that the poor must get Rs 5,000 deposited in their accounts if the 21-day nationwide lockdown is extended beyond April 14.

On Shab-e-Barat, Owaisi held an online public meeting and said, "The poor are saying that if they do not die due to coronavirus, they shall die due to hunger. I ask the Prime Minister that whichever party has five MPs you have called them, but you are calling those who have less than five MPs in the Parliament. The Prime Minister has not called me and my other MP from Aurangabad. He has not called the three MPs from Indian Union Muslim League from Kerala. You know that the first three cases were reported in Kerala," Owaisi said.

"I would suggest that if the lockdown is being extended, the poor must get Rs 5,000 deposited in their accounts," he said.

Owaisi also talked about 'Corona Jihad', which was trending over social media.

"It is made a trend on Twitter. People who are doing such things are not strengthening the country. Since January 1 till March 15, there were 15 lakh international arrivals. And then you object to Tablighi Jamaat? We have started screening from March 3, then how have they come? Who has done the screening and who is responsible for it?" he asked.

"Is it not true that the Modi government has told the Supreme Court that one in three migrants could be infected and they should not pass the infection to villagers? However, it is also mentioned that six lakh people have been put in shelters. Where is social distancing? It is a conspiracy to spread hatred. I urge the Prime Minister to stop these people and break your silence," Owaisi said.

"You are my Prime Minister too... The whole world is coming together. But in our country, there are some people who are spreading hate. I appeal to the government to consider the difficulties faced by poor. I can state an example of Telangana where Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has stated that migrants are our brothers and no person in the state shall starve," he added.

Stressing that COVID-19 has "no religion," the AIMIM chief appealed to the Muslim community to maintain social distancing, by not gathering at mosques and offering prayers at home.

Later, he said, "In Indore, stone pelting at health workers is not at all correct. These health workers are risking their lives to save us. I feel very sorry that in my own constituency, a constable was attacked. The police department and hospital staff are risking their lives to save us. If this virus reaches a stage of community spread, who will be responsible for it? Do we have enough infrastructure?"

Owaisi also thanked those who have fully cooperated for COVID-19 tests.

"There was complete cooperation from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Do not be careless and irresponsible. Do not eat gutka and pan masala. It is a crime," he further said.