P Chidambaram, @PChidambaram_IN – Former Union Finance Minister:

• We reciprocate the PM’s New Year greetings.
• We understand the compulsion for extending the lockdown. We support the decision.
• But beyond the lockdown, what was ‘new’ in PM’s new year message?
• It is obvious that livelihood for the poor — their survival — is not among the priorities of the government.
• CMs’ demand for money elicited no response.
• Not a rupee has been added to the miserly package of March 25, 2020.
• From Raghuram Rajan to Jean Dreze, from Prabhat Patnaik to Abhijit Banerji, their advice has fallen on deaf years.
• The poor have been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food.
• There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food. Cry, my beloved country.