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Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday sided with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's demand from the Centre to pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to families of those who lost their lives due to COVID-19 and said that if a state government can provide generous compensation then so can the Central government.
Taking to Twitter, Gehlot said, "Rahul Gandhi ji's demand for compensation of at least Rs 4 lakh for those families wherein there have been COVID-19 deaths, I believe that the Centre's intention was the same earlier. I do not understand why did they withdraw their orders and told the Supreme Court that only Rs 50,000 will be given." "What happens with Rs 50,000 these days?" Gehlot questioned while also requesting the Centre to reconsider. "We, as a state government have announced pension plans for the widows and the orphans, along with other schemes. If a state government can give such packages, it is very easy for the Centre," he added. "They should not politicise the matter at such a time. They should come forward and should give a (compensation) package of at least Rs 4 lakh. There are families belonging to BPL classes, APL classes and other poor families too; the situation in the country (post-pandemic) is very bad," he further said. The Chief Minister, also said "Regarding the figures of COVID-19 deaths in India, the government should develop a system such that we can reach the poor of the poorest where there has been a COVID death but has not been registered. This will help the future planning of state government and the Centre. God forbid, there is a third wave with a new variant, at that time we will have trouble without true figures." "A system should be developed with which true figures of COVID death can be revealed," he added. Today, Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, said, "The Congress party has two demands - Correct figures of COVID dead should be given, and Rs 4 lakh compensation should be given to the families who have lost their loved ones to COVID." "If you are in power, you will have to drive away the sufferings of the people. Due compensation should be provided to the people," the former Congress president's tweet further read. The Waynad MP also took a jibe at the "Gujarat Model" of development by sharing a video on Twitter claiming that families that the Congress spoke to in Gujarat said that during COVID they were not able to find hospital beds, oxygen and ventilators. In the video, he alleged that over 3 lakh people have succumbed to the COVID-19 in Gujarat, while the official data have stated only 10,000 COVID-related deaths. The Congress started the "COVID Nyay campaign" in Gujarat which is scheduled to go for polls next year. (ANI)
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