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‘Govt asks 65+ people to stay home, PM mostly missing from Parliament’: Derek O’Brien on Coronavirus

Yesterday, in his address to the nation, PM Modi urged those who are above 60 years of age not to venture out of their homes for the next few weeks.

SNS | New Delhi | March 20, 2020 2:07 pm

‘Govt asks 65+ people to stay home, PM mostly missing from Parliament’: Derek O’Brien on Coronavirus

TMC leader Derek O'Brien (Photo: Facebook)

Derek O’Brien, the Member of Parliament and  Trinamool Congress leader, on Friday,  while hitting out at PM Narendra Modi led Centre’s advisory on Coronavirus asking people above 65-years of age to stay at home, asked, “Why is parliament running?”

O’ Brien took to Twitter and “Govt advisory asks people 65+ to stay home. Sunday curfew announced. And yet! Why is #Parliament running? Why this confused messaging? About 44% MPs in RS and 22% MPs in LS are 65 and above. Ignore advisory? And you yourself mostly missing from Parliament floor #COVID (sic),” the 59-year-old Rajya Sabha MP tweeted.

Yesterday, in his address to the nation, PM Modi urged those who are above 60 years of age not to venture out of their homes for the next few weeks.

“For a developing country like ours with a large population, the growing challenge of coronavirus is not a normal situation,” PM Modi said.

As COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread across the globe Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, announced ‘Janata Curfew’ in the entire nation on March 22, from 7 am to 9 pm — a step to avoid public gatherings and to prevent the spread of the deadly novel Coronavirus. He also urged the countrymen to call at least 10 people every day and tell them about the ‘Janata Curfew’ as well as the measures to prevent Coronavirus.

So far, India has reported 206 confirmed cases of Coronavirus with five deaths, the latest being an Italian tourist, who had reportedly been cured of the COVID-19, died of heart attack at hospital in Jaipur today.

The rise in the number of confirmed cases comes even as the Government imposed a near-virtual lockdown, banning public gatherings, stopping international flights from Sunday and shutting down offices and schools.

On Thursday, Rajya Sabha member of the TMC had also tweeted a video clip, before the PM’s address. He said (in the clip), “Parliament opened on March 2. Here we are today… March 19. We are told PM would address the nation at 8 pm. We are keen to know about the government measures. So far, we have had only one statement from Health Minister.”

“But a bigger question…. Where’s the parliament? You want to run parliament. MPs are sitting in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha. Have you by any chance decided to address the nation without coming to parliament? I hope not, he further said.

Meanwhile, in yet another tweet Derek said, “#Parliament in session. Isn’t this ‘temple of democracy’ hallowed enough to address the nation from? Or a pre-recorded video message? CMs were watching on TV. Chronology? Announce today. Talk to CMs tomo. Cooperative federalism? High on gimmicks ? Low on solutions #COVID2019.”

Derek and other Trinamool members had been raising the issue of Coronavirus since the past week in the Parliament.

On March 18, in his tweet, Derek said, “Scene 1 Some Trinamool MPs wear protective masks in RS. Scene 2 Chairman asks them to remove masks or leave house. Scene 3 P Chidambaram intervenes (See Vid). Scene  4 Gracious Chairman rolls back earlier ruling. Win-win! #covidindia”

The global death toll crossed 10,000 on Friday with 244,421 confirmed cases worldwide. With 3,405 deaths Italy has now become the country with most casualties. China had reported 3,245 deaths however on for a second consecutive day the country has reported zero cases.

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