Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday lashed out at Congress party over the movement of migrants labourers amid the coronavirus crisis and requested the opposition to come together to help stranded migrant labourers.
“I am urging the opposition party very politely, folding my hands and requesting them here. We must all come together and help migrant labourers in this crisis,” the finance minister said.
Sitharaman said that the Centre joined hands with various state governments to run special trains for the migrant labourers.
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“We ensured that lakhs of migrant workers reach their native places, get food, essentials. Yet many are on the roads, walking back home, it is painful,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“We ensured that lakhs of migrant workers reach their native places, get food, essentials. Yet many are on the roads, walking back home, it is painful,” she said.
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The finance minister asked why isn’t the Congress doing something more for the migrants in the states ruled by the party.
“I want to ask the Congress party, why is it not doing anything more for these migrant labourers in the states ruled by them or where they have alliances. Make arrangements for more trains where you can, help them. Ask for more trains from the Centre,” she said.
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Sitharaman said that merely sitting with them or talking to them while they walk on the roads in the heat is not going to serve any purpose.
“Go walk with them, pick up their bags rather than sitting next to them and talking to them,” Sitharaman stated.
The finance minister said that now is not the time to indulge in politics.
“Hath jod ke main request kar rahi hu (I am folding my hands). I request Sonia Gandhi. Let us speak responsibly, let us deal with our migrants responsibly,” she said.
Sitharaman’s comments during her press conference on the final tranche of Centre’s economic stimulus package on Sunday. Today’s announcements focussed on seven steps taken by the government - MGNREGA, health & education related steps, business & COVID, decriminalization of Companies Act, ease of doing business, public sector enterprises, state government resources.