Parliament winter session: Manickam Tagore demands compensation for kin of COVID victims

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday demanded a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of COVID-19 victims, especially the poor who lost an earning member to the virus.

Addressing the Chair during the Lok Sabha discussion, Tagore raised concern over the "actual number of COVID-19 deaths" and requested that the House direct the Centre to "ensure that the poor get Rs 4 lakh each" because of the financial crunch they are having to face because of the loss of their breadwinner.

Sympathising with the stories of the families who lost their breadwinners to Covid, Tagore said, "...(It) is highly pathetic as they have lost their breadwinners and consequently were pushed to the severe financial distress."

"Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Government to provide proper compensation to rehabilitate such families as demanded by our (Congress) leader Rahul Gandhi," he added.

Further, the Congress MP said that the House should take appropriate action to discuss the actual number of deaths.

"It is a matter of grave concern that at least 50 lakh people have died in the country due to Covid. However, the Government has given false statistics with a lesser number of deaths," he said.

It is important to note that the party has been raising the issue for some time now and has launched a website for the same.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had also shared videos on his social media accounts from Gujarat where he has talked to the families of those who died due to COVID-19.

Congress party is taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre to consider the issue seriously. The Chief Ministers of Congress-led states have also written to PM in this regard and have demanded the same.

( With inputs from ANI )

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