Stop acting like money lender, give cash rather than credit: Rahul Gandhi to Centre

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the Centre should stop acting like a 'money lender' for its children by giving them credit instead of cash, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the COVID-19 economic stimulus package. Interacting with journalists of regional media via video conferencing, he said he was trying to put pressure on the government for generating demand by putting money into the accounts of the poor and vulnerable sections of society.

Rahul Gandhi, in a press briefing on Saturday, underlined the importance of helping the migrant workers and farmers amid nationwide lockdown over coronavirus crisis.  'The government should directly transfer money into the bank accounts of migrants, farmers and other needy ones. It is important to put money into the hands of the poor people,' Rahul Gandhi said. 'Economy won't start without helping the poor and needy ones in the country,' Rahul Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi said it is important to help the migrant workers right 'now and not later'. He warned the government of 'catastrophic problem' if money is not directly put into the bank accounts of the poor immediately. Rahul Gandhi said it is 'heartbreaking to see millions of migrants walking on the highways with no food and money'.

Gandhi said a 'storm' was brewing on the economic front that will cause damage and hurt many. "The storm has not come yet, it is coming and will cause big economic damage and hurt many," he said. The Congress leader asserted that if demand is not generated, the country will suffer a bigger loss economically than from the novel coronavirus. He also said that it is important to lift the lockdown intelligently without sacrificing the old and vulnerable population to the disease.