1. Home
2. India

Sonia calls for buses for migrant workers walking hundred of miles

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 3/29/2020 12:25:49 AM

NEW DELHI, Mar 28: Congress President Sonia Gandhi has written to the Prime Minister to provide one-time state transport services to lakhs of migrant workers forced to walk hundreds of miles to reach their home towns and villages as there is o public transport available.
She also suggested that the district collectors be asked to extend all possible help to those who are trapped in transit with no money to afford to stay in lodges and guest houses any longer. She said the lockdown is beginning to have a detrimental effect on such fellow citizens.
"The citizens of our country are making tremendous sacrifices for a better tomorrow. Therefore, we must make all efforts to ensure that the purpose of the lockdown is not defeated by making the most vulnerable bear its cost," Sonia added.
Reacting on the Editors Guild's concern over the high-handed and arbitrary police action of obstructing many journalists from reporting on the coronavirus, the Congress tweeted: "Functioning of the media is an essential service and should not be hindered. The govt must communicate this with the other departments so that instances like these can be completely curtailed."
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi appealed to the party workers to help hundreds of people walking to their homes by providing them food, water and shelter. In a tweet, he said the government is responsible for the crime of pushing the citizens to the plight. "Govt must take concrete steps at the earliest to prevent it become a big tragedy," he tweeted.
Her sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra narrated the plight of thousands of people walking back home and police creating tragic scene of stopping them on Delhi borders. She urged the government to help them, noting that the fears of corona, unemployment and hunger are forcing them to return home.
Congress treasurer Ahmed Patel endorsed Sonia's call to the PM to issue guidance to the authorities to assist those stuck in transit, saying "we hope the Centre takes cognizance of the plight of those trapped immediately."
In a tweet, he said: "We are concerned about migrant workers walking on empty highways. The Central Govt must issue a directive to enable one time train/bus service, so these people can reach home.
"If we can evacuate Indians stranded in foreign soil, why not assist those stranded on domestic soil," Patel asked.
Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala drew attention to thousands of poor families walking back to their home in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh with their children. They say they would die of hunger, if not due to Corona. No answer to such a tragedy? Can't Arvind Kejriwal, ML Khattar and Yogi Adityanath provide them buses to reach home.
The Congress put on its website children in Koireepur Basti of PM Modi's constituency eating grass due to nonavailability of food since imposition of the lockdown. Varanasi district collector Kaushal Raj Sharma, however, insisted that they were eating "Ankari," a kind of pulse which is a source of protein.
In a tweet, it said: "The BJP govt had enough time to plan & implement a more thoughtful strategy for the nationwide lockdown. Because of their delay, thousands are left stranded & forced to fend for themselves. Planning is as important as the thought."
"The sudden lockdown once again proves that this government is just not bothered about the people. Perhaps such sudden decisions give a kick and excitement to the government. The same happened in case of the demonetisation," it said.
"Thousands of migrant workers have been left alone and stranded in the middle of a nationwide lockdown. Was it not the govt's responsibility to ensure no one is left behind? Why is this govt so apathetic towards the poor," the Congress asked.