Covid Deaths Compensation: Union Government Should be More Humane – SDPI

The Union Government affidavit in the Supreme Court that all Covid19 death victims cannot be provided Rs. 4 lakh compensation is highly inhumane and unjust. The government should retract this stand and ensure that all victims are compensated with adequate monetary aid, stated Abdul Majeed KH, National General Secretary of Social Democratic Party of India, here today.

The government stand that it would cause humongous financial burden if all victims are paid this compensation is ridiculous. The rise in death to Covid19 is the result of government’s failure in managing the Covid19 pandemic. As every other country took precautions to prevent recurrence of the pandemic, central government took it for granted and, conducted and allowed huge gatherings like election rallies and Kumbhamela. This ended up in the uncontrolled spread of Covid19 and ensuing deaths.

The government has no shortage of fund to go ahead with the not-so-necessary multi-billion Central Vista project, but raises concern about paying ex-gratia to the unfortunate victims of Covid19. This unethical stand of not paying compensation to the victims, most of whom have been struggling to keep both ends meet due to continuous lockdown and loss of income, is highly inhumane.

Social Democratic Party of India strongly urges the Union Government to be more humane in dealing with the issues faced by its citizens in this vulnerable period, and withdraw its present stand that compensation cannot be paid to all victims.