New Delhi : The Congress has renewed its demand for sending the distressed migrants, stuck in various states following lockdown, back home. Former Union Minister R.P.N. Singh, who is in-charge of Jharkhand in the party, asked the Prime Minister on Friday to take an immediate decision.
“As a common citizen of Uttar Pradesh, I am getting many calls daily asking for help from those stuck in various states. The party too has raised the issue. While we support the lockdown, I request the Prime Minister to take immediate decision on the fate of lakhs of migrant labourers,” Singh told IANS.
Singh, who represented Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh) in Lok Sabha, has opened a helpline for the migrants. “Reaching out to each person is a tough task… only government can help in such a situation,” said Singh.
He said he is trying to help people through Congress workers, but consistent support can be granted when they are at their home-state.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) in a statement on Thursday also asked the Prime Minister to act on the migrants’ plight.
“The nation has witnessed the plight of our migrant workers in major cities and towns. Several of them travelled hundreds of kilometres on foot without food, medicines or any kind of support until they were forced to stop and were quarantined. Chief Ministers have written to the Prime Minister pointing out the growing pressure from the migrant workers and their families in the home states that they be allowed to return to their home states/villages,” said the CWC statement.