New Delhi: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus for the Indian economy, most opposition parties said that they would prefer to wait for the fine print before reacting to the announcement.Opposition parties had been suggesting that the government should provide some financial stimulus to help the pandemic-affected economy revive in the days to come.Accordingly, Congress leaders welcomed the announcement but added that only when details of the package emerge, they will be in a better position to elaborate.“We welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement of the economic package and stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore. We will wait for the details, but hope that it will provide much needed relief to the stressed micro, small and medium sector, especially for support towards payment of workers wages and a healing touch to the migrant workers, labour and the poor,” senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told the Indian Express.However, chief spokesperson of the party Randeep Surjewala tweeted to say that the prime minister’s speech was mere hunting for a headline.1/2Dear PM,What you said today gives the country and the media a HEADLINE.When the “blank page” is filled with “Heartfelt Help of People”, the Nation & Congress Party will respond.— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 12, 2020He also attacked Modi for not having devoted substantial time to give confidence to scores of informal sector workers who have been the worst hit by the lockdown.2/2Dear PM,The mammoth heart breaking human tragedy of migrant workers walking back home needed compassion, care & safe return.India is deeply disappointed by your utter lack of empathy, sensitivity & failure to address the woes of millions of #MigrantWorkers !— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 12, 2020Former finance minister P. Chidambaram pitched in to say that the speech was a “blank page” left for the Union finance minister to fill in, and that the Congress will count each and every detail once the break up of the package is known.Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank!Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy.— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020Rajasthan chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, however, welcomed the announcement. “The financial package announced by PM Modi ji was much awaited. Better late than never. We welcome this. Now when details emerge, we would know exactly how different sectors would benefit.”Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot. Photo: PTIAnother party spokesperson hoped that the announcement did not turn into yet another exercise in vanity. “Hoping that the Rs 20 lakh crore package is not scripted with same pen which was used to make the promises of giving everyone Rs 15 Lakh, cleaning ‘Maa Ganga’, bringing back black money in 100 days, transforming Varanasi into Kyoto and ending terrorism with demonetisation,” Jaiveer Shergill said.The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] general secretary Sitaram Yechury Sitaram Yechury too said that the absence of details in the prime minister’s speech was conspicuous. He said that it was unfortunate that Modi did not mention a word about providing relief to the crores of migrant workers.“We were all expecting the Prime Minister to announce some facility or relief for them. But there was no word… And what about the lakhs of people who are hungry.”“The four big problems confronting India: distress of migrants, resources that states need, hunger and unemployment were not addressed at all,” Yechury said. While adding that one has to wait to see details of the package, he hoped that “this money will go in the pockets of the poor and the hungry, not to help more defaulters….”The Trinamool Congress, which has been belligerent against the Centre, gave a measured response but not without scepticism. Party MP Derek O’ Brien said, “We saw the box today. We saw the wrapping paper today. But what is in the product. we don’t know. For that, we have to open the package tomorrow or day after. He (Modi) said 20 lakh crores, 10 per cent of GDP, but (there was a) little asterisk there saying some conditions apply.”He asked how the Centre was planning to raise the Rs 20 lakh crore. “How is all this going to be paid for? A borrowing? Where are the details for the borrowing?… Because if you are going to borrow Rs 20 lakh crore, what happens to the state? How will states then borrow? No details. Are you going to raise taxes?. we have to wait for the details because the devil is in the details.”Also Read: The Simple, and Simplistic, Messaging of Modi’s Lectures Is a Big Hit With His AudienceHe slammed the prime minister for not giving any assurance to states on their demand for payment of GST dues and an increase in their borrowing limit under the Financial Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2005.The Aam Aadmi Party MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj took a dig at the PM by asking whether the reforms he mentioned in his speech would lead to dilution of more labour laws, as has already happened in three BJP-ruled states. “#REFORMS — This is the key word, obviously it’s a veil. Remember 3 BJP states have already started labour reforms,” he said.Party leader Raghav Chadha also questioned the financial viability of the package and asked if “there are any other hidden adjustments?”If RBI’s liquidity adjustments of March with an impact of 3.75Lac crore and RBI’s comfort to mutual funds in April of 0.50Lac crore are part of the package, then it is already reduced to 15.75Lac crore.Are there any other hidden adjustments?What is the Govt’s net cash outflow?— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) May 12, 2020Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said that Modi’s speech was “insensitive” as he did not think it was necessary to express his empathy for the migrant workers making their way home by any means. He posted three photos of migrant labourers travelling on buses in miserable conditions.