BSP chief Mayawati urges Centre to bear travel expenses of migrant workers

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday requested the Centre to bear the travel expenses of migrant workers "keeping in mind the economic condition of the states". The BSP chief also urged the Centre to ask state governments to provide food to migrant labourers in their respective states.

Taking to Twitter, she stated that it is necessary for state governments to make proper arrangements for food and stay of migrant labourers in their respective states and sending them by buses and trains through a simple process.

"BSP also believes that if the Congress party actually has 1,000 buses, then there should be no delay in sending them to Lucknow, because here too the migrant labourers are eagerly waiting to go back to their homes in large numbers," Mayawati said.

READ: MHA issues revised SOP on stranded migrants' movement by Shramik trains; seeks cooperation

MHA directive to states

As the migrants continue to walk on foot to their native places amid Coronavirus lockdown in the nation, the Centre asked the states and the union territories to operate more special trains in close coordination with the railways. It has said that special attention should be given for transportation of women, children and elderly migrant workers.

The home secretary also said arrangement for resting places, taking into account the requirement of sanitation, food and health, should be made. Highlighting the lack of clarity about the train and buses timings, the Home Secretary said that there should be more clarity about the departure of trains and buses, as lack of clarity coupled with rumours is causing unrest among the workers. 

READ: UP: Three migrants killed, 12 injured after truck overturns on Jhansi-Mirzapur highway

Stranded migrants issue 

After PM Modi had announced the first phase of lockdown, on March 28, thousands of migrant workers were seen thronging the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Delhi's Anand Vihar Inter-state bus terminal in the hope of reaching their homes, defying lockdown and creating a health hazard. Similarly, after PM Modi announced the extension of the lockdown till May 3, on April 14, around 2,000 migrant workers gathered at Bandra station, under the illusion of boarding 'Jansdharan Express' trains to UP, Bengal and Bihar.

Apart from this, several visuals have been seen of thousands of migrants walking across state borders to reach their native homes due to loss of income amid lockdown. The Centre in Lockdown 3.0 arranged special Shramik trains for the transportation of the migrants to their native places. However, many accidents have occurred since the Centre allowed transportation of stranded migrants, and as many as 100 of them have died. 

READ: Agra Police steps up to help amid migrant workers plight, provides them with free footwear

READ: Priyanka Vadra's '1000 buses' for migrants in UP includes autos & bikes; BJP claims 'sham'

(With Inputs from ANI)

(Image credits: PTI)