Big financial package need of hour, India must follow global practices: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called for immediate steps to revive the country's economy on Saturday and said there was a need for a big financial package, including tax breaks and direct cash transfers, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. He pointed out that the coronavirus outbreak was a serious attack on our fragile economy and took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for the beating of "thalis" in the honor of those working to contain the spread of the virus.

Gandhi said clapping would not help the daily wage workers and small and medium entrepreneurs. "The Coronavirus is a sledgehammer blow to our brittle economy," he wrote on Twitter.

"Small and medium businesses and daily wage earners are the worst hit. Clapping won't help them. Only a massive economic package that includes direct cash transfers, tax breaks and a moratorium on loan repayments will," the former Congress chief added. He said India must take cognizance of global practices and act accordingly. Gandhi also cited measures taken by other countries as well as stimulus packages announced by them to boost the economy and various sectors affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

He called upon the COVID-9 Economic Response Task Force to announce compensation packages for daily wage earners and the unorganized sector, besides industries like aviation, hospitality, animal husbandry, and the banking sector. Gandhi said while various countries had already announced stimulus packages, India was yet to announce one.