Rahul Gandhi attacks government over migrants' lockdown exodus, calls it 'big crime'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held the government responsible for the mass exodus of migrant workers from Delhi amid a total lockdown in the country. With India under a 3-week lockdown, grim visuals of jobless migrant workers marching towards their homes emerged on social media. Sharing photographs of scores of daily wagers and migrant workers walking amid a pandemic, Rahul Gandhi called it a 'very big crime' and called on the PM Modi-led government to take concrete steps to avert the tragedy. 

"The government is responsible for this terrible condition. This condition of citizens is a very big crime. Today, in the hour of crisis, our brothers and sisters should at least get respect and support. The government should take concrete steps as soon as possible so that it does not become a major tragedy," the Congress leader's tweet read. 

READ| COVID-19: Rahul Gandhi urges release of Rs 2.70 cr from MPLAD funds for medical equipments

UP govt deploys bus fleet

Taking a step to help the homebound migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, who are stranded in the national capital amid pan-India lockdown, the Yogi Adityanath government directed the State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) to deploy buses to facilitate their transport. The Managing Director of UPSRTC informed on Saturday that the around 200 Buses buses will depart every 2 hours from 8 am onward at various points in the bordering districts of Delhi.

Earlier, on March 27, a video tweeted by ANI showed that several migrant labourers were attempting to reach their hometowns by walking in the midst of lockdown. In Ghazipur, near the Delhi-UP border, they were stopped by the Delhi Police in a bid to stop mass movement and prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday endorsed advocate Ishkaran Singh Bhandari's suggestion of Government-run free ticketless trains for migrant workers. Taking to Twitter, Swamy put forth the suggestion to run the trains for three days from where the migrant workers leave for their hometown. He further added that if this is not done, the country might experience a 1947-type migration.

READ| Sambit Patra replies to Rahul Gandhi's 'I'm feeling sad as this was avoidable' lament