Congress accuses UP Govt for doing "Cheap politics" after row over buses to ferry migrant workers

The Congress on Tuesday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of doing cheap politics by stopping 1,000 buses arranged by the party to ferry migrant labourers from entering the state.

New Delhi: Congress, on Tuesday, slammed Uttar Pradesh Government for doing "cheap and petty politics" by not allowing movement of 1000 buses, arranged by the party, to ferry stranded migrant labourers from the Delhi-UP border.

While addressing a press conference, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "If farmers are food providers, workers are nation builders. When all means of transportation have been suddenly stopped, it is the responsibility of Yogi Adityanath-government to bring home our millions of labourers who are walking. When Congress is providing 1000 buses towards this cause, UP Government is doing petty politics by causing trouble and hindrances in our way."

Congress leader Rajiv Shukla, who is coordinating from the state unit, claimed that the buses are currently stationed at Rajasthan-UP border as they are not being allowed to enter the state because the officials on the ground haven't received any order from the top.

Surjewala further explained, "UP administration wrote a letter to us at 11:40 in the night, asking us to send buses to Lucknow along with fitness certificate and driving licenses. It reflects their intention, maliciousness, cruelty, politicisation, partiality and insensitivity."

"Next day at 11:05 am, we receive the response to send the buses to Noida in Ghaziabad by noon. See their malaise, they don't care about the humanitarian crisis unfolding the state. We were ready to bring buses on both the borders till 5 pm. But these 500-600 buses have been stopped before entering the state as the officials on the ground did not receive any information from the administration," added Surjewala.

Calling UP CM Yogi Adityanath "insensitive", the Congress leader alleged that the state government makes all arrangements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally but unable to permit movement of buses to help migrant workers only because they are being arranged by Congress. "This is cheap politics," he said.

Another party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate alleged that RTOs are now threatening bus owners and the state government is creating hurdles to stop Congress party from helping migrant workers, saying "These are clear double standards."

Earlier, the UP Government also attacked the Congress party, alleging that some of the bus numbers given by them are of two-wheelers and three-wheelers.