New Delhi,  The Congress has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his Friday's video message where he asked the people to light candles on April 5 at 9 p.m.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said: "You asked us to clap, we clapped. Now you have asked us to light a candle or a diya, we will do that too, but some questions need to be asked. The doctors and medical staff for whom we clapped deserve personal protection equipment (PPE). It is the responsibility of the government to provide PPEs to them and also fix the responsibility for the delay in doing so."

"The poor, labourers and farmers for whom you want us to light a candle also deserve to have fire in their stoves. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure this," he said.

He said it was expected that the Prime Minister will announce that PPEs have been made available for the doctors and medical staff working amidst great threat to their own lives.

Khera said the country expected that the PM will announce that Rs 7,500 will be deposited in the Jan Dhan accounts, in the PM Kisan Scheme accounts, in the accounts of pensioners. MGNREGA workers were expecting advance payments for three months and states were expecting payments of GST dues but that was not announced.

Talking about the crisis farmers are facing, the Congress spokesperson said farmers are not able to sell vegetables and fruits in the markets, therefore, consumers are not getting them.

He said, "Apart from this there has been an unprecedented hike in the prices of vegetables and essential commodities in the last 10 days because the inter-state and intra-state supply chain has collapsed. Therefore, we were expecting Centre's intervention to restore the supply chain."

Talking about the number of tests going on in the country, Khera said in a country with a population of 130 crore, we have tested less 50,000 people. "As Prime Minister it becomes your duty to inform the country about the steps being taken to increase the number of tests. Testing is the first critical step towards containing corona," he added.