‘PM Couldn’t-Care-Less Fund’: Derek O’Brien lashes out at Centre for ‘mishandling coronavirus’

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’ Brien hit out at the central government over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and on the issue of cooperative federalism. The MP commenced his address in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday by thanking the corona warriors, before taking a swipe at the government using Home Minister Amit Shah’s ‘chronology samajhiye’ comment.

“On chronology, you’ve failed,” said O’ Brien.

In his address, he termed the PM-CARES fund, as the “PM Couldn’t-Care-Less Fund.”

He questioned the Centre over steps taken during the initial days of virus outbreak. “On January 30, the first COVID-19 case was reported in India and on February 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted US President Donald Trump with huge pomp and show,” the MP said.

He hit out at the Centre for giving just a four-hour notice before announcing 21 days of nationwide lockdown. He termed it as the “demonetization 2”. 

On federalism, he said of every Rs 100 spent on public health, Rs 63 is spent by the state government. “When things are going well, you want to take credit. When they are not, you start talking about CMs,” said O’ Brien.

“What you should have done is adopted best practices from different states,” he said.

“You must not use the pandemic to convert a democracy into an autocracy,” he said, terming the PM-CARES fund, as the “PM Couldn’t-Care-Less Fund”, which he called an “opaque” fund.

Concluding his address, O’Brien said he wanted to leave the members with two images from the pandemic. One of the only woman Chief Minister marking social distancing circles in a bazaar (referring to West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Bannerjee). “The second of a garden and a peacock,” referring to pictures of PM Modi with peacocks.