UP govt obstructing help to stranded migrant workers: Congress
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the BJP government are at loggerheads over her plan to send 1,000 buses to help transport migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh to other states.
The Congress alleged on Wednesday the Uttar Pradesh government is obstructing efforts to help migrant workers by not allowing in 500 buses, and urged chief minister Yogi Adityanath to enable the labourers to safely reach their homes.
The party said the buses, which have been standing at the Uttar Pradesh border for the past six days, will remain till 4 pm on Wednesday.
The issue has triggered a war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, with both sides accusing each other of playing politics with the plight of migrant workers.
“One is astounded, one cannot understand - if it were not tragic for humanity, it would be comic. How is it that the state government is sitting and doing nothing and not letting anyone else do something, and also obstructing any help for the migrant workers,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters via video conference.
“Will the Uttar Pradesh government stand up and explain to the nation? For the last six days, especially the last two days and even as we speak, about 500 buses are standing at the Uttar Pradesh border. How is it that you will not allow to ferry the migrant workers of UP and Bihar? This is the cheapest form of politics,” he said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the BJP government are at loggerheads over her plan to send 1,000 buses to help transport migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh to other states.
The offer was made on Saturday, and accepted on Monday. But by Tuesday evening, the Uttar Pradesh government said only 879 of the 1,000 vehicles were buses, and the rest three-wheelers and other vehicles, triggering angry reactions from the Congress.
“In its own statement, the state government has admitted 879 buses in the list have been found alright. The administration (Agra) has stopped our 500 buses for hours, while 300 buses are reaching the Delhi border. Allow the 879 buses to run,” Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.
“UP government has crossed all the limits. When there is an opportunity to do away with political differences and serve helpless migrant labourers it has caused all the hindrances. @myogiadityanath ji you can use BJP flags and your posters on these buses, but don’t reject our feelings of service,” she said in another tweet.
Late on Tuesday evening, Uttar Pradesh Police booked Priyanka Gandhi’s private secretary Sandip Singh and state Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu for allegedly providing “misleading” information about the buses.
“It is still not too late and I beseech with folded hands, like Priyankaji said, if you are so concerned about politics, please put your name or party banner but at least use the help we are providing,” Singhvi said.
“I beseech with folded hands, if the Adityanath government cannot help the migrants, let Priyankaji and the Congress party help the migrants,” he added.
