New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court, seeking to intervene in the matter in which it has taken cognisance of the "unfortunate and miserable" plight of migrant labourers who have been stranded across the country due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Surjewala, an official spokesperson of the Congress party, has said he wants to apprise the top court of "certain pertinent measures" that may be considered by the Centre in order to alleviate the plight of migrant labourers who are stranded or travelling long distances with great difficulty due to the lockdown.
"Further, due to failure of the Government of India to formulate any joint committee with the opposition political parties for addressing issues of stranded migrant labourers, the Government of India has been unable to consider the measures suggested by the applicant (Surjewala) and the opposition party or any member of Parliament not belonging to the ruling dispensation," said the plea, settled by senior advocate A M Singhvi.
The plea further said that there was no nation-wide action plan with regard to the stranded migrant labourers. It suggested that the Government of India carry out an exercise at the district and village level to prepare accurate lists of stranded migrant workers.