New Delhi, Apr 18 (IANS): Amid rising cases of Covid-19 former Union Minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday demanded that the Centre declare a national health emergency in the country. He also urged the Election Commission to declare a moratorium on election rallies.

He said on Twitter, "COVID-19...Infections faster than recoveries. Modiji: Declare a National Health Emergency. Election Commission: Declare a moratorium on election rallies... Courts: Protect people's lives."

On Saturday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in a statement lashed out at the Union government for being unprepared and pushing the country to the gravest disaster.

The CWC statement, read out by former Union Finance Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram, said, "We regret to say that the nation is paying a very heavy price for the thoughtlessness and unpreparedness of the NDA government to tackle the gravest disaster (Covid pandemic) that has hit the country and has affected millions of families claiming 1,75,673 lives so far."

The CWC said that the Union government is passing the buck to the state governments and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi incorporating the suggestions made at the CWC.