Congress welcomes MHA order for allowing movement of migrants, students; demands sanitised trains

Soon after the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order to State/UTs to facilitate the inter-state movement of stranded people including migrant labourers, amidst nationwide lockdown, Congress leaders welcomed the Centre's move. Senior leader P Chidambaram took to Twitter and demanded sanitised trains instead of providing buses.

New Delhi: As the Ministry of Home Affairs, on Wednesday, issued an order for the movement of stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students, Congress party welcomed the centre's move and asked the states to communicate and mutually agree for the implementation of the order.

• I welcome the decision of the government to allow inter-state movement of migrant workers and students after testing them by bus.
  
  This has been a demand of the Congress party since mid-April.

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 29, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  I welcome the decision of the government to allow inter-state movement of migrant workers and students after testing them by bus.
  
  This has been a demand of the Congress party since mid-April.

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 29, 2020

  ">

  I welcome the decision of the government to allow inter-state movement of migrant workers and students after testing them by bus.
  
  This has been a demand of the Congress party since mid-April.

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 29, 2020

While welcoming the decision of MHA, former Union Minister P Chidambaram tweeted, "Buses alone will not be sufficient. It is better to run sanitized train point to point to move the large numbers who desire to migrate back to their home states."

• अकेले बसें पर्याप्त नहीं होंगी। बेहतर होगा कि सेनीटाइज करके ट्रेन से अपने गृह राज्य में वापस जाने की इच्छा रखने वाले बड़ी संख्या में लोगों को पॉइंट टू पॉइंट स्थानांतरित किया जाए।

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 29, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  अकेले बसें पर्याप्त नहीं होंगी। बेहतर होगा कि सेनीटाइज करके ट्रेन से अपने गृह राज्य में वापस जाने की इच्छा रखने वाले बड़ी संख्या में लोगों को पॉइंट टू पॉइंट स्थानांतरित किया जाए।

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 29, 2020

  ">

  अकेले बसें पर्याप्त नहीं होंगी। बेहतर होगा कि सेनीटाइज करके ट्रेन से अपने गृह राज्य में वापस जाने की इच्छा रखने वाले बड़ी संख्या में लोगों को पॉइंट टू पॉइंट स्थानांतरित किया जाए।

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 29, 2020

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said he has raised the issue of the return of Jammu and Kashmir students stranded in Bangladesh with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Lt Governor G C Murmu.

Azad, who is the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, also said he took up the issue of stranded people especially students, small traders and labourers from Jammu and Kashmir in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab with Murmu and the chief ministers of these states who agreed to create a mechanism to facilitate their early return.

"Azad took up the issue of students, undergoing studies in Bangladesh, with Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar and requested him to arrange for their return as they have completed the quarantine period," a statement issued by his party here said.

It said Jaishankar expressed the willingness of his ministry to bring the stranded students back to the union territory.

The Congress leader also took up the matter with J&K Lt governor who also expressed his willingness to allow the students to be returned from Bangladesh, the statement said.

The party said Azad also took up the issue of stranded J-K residents especially students, small traders and labourers in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab with Murmu and the chief ministers of these states.

"They (CMs) agreed to create a mechanism and facilitate the early return of these people to Jammu and Kashmir," the statement said.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said, "After the announcement of nationwide lockdown, thousands of migrant workers got stranded in various states. We are continuously asking the government to take immediate steps to help these migrants. I got calls from hundreds of labourers who belongs to West Bengal, to evacuate them as early as possible."

Choudhary further maintained that it is the onus of the Government to ensure the journey of these migrants to their destination by using every possible measure. Meanwhile, the Congress leader also demanded West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee to bring back these migrants immediately.

The Union government on Wednesday issued an order to State/UTs to facilitate the inter-state movement of stranded people including migrant labourers, amidst nationwide lockdown imposed to contain COVID-19 spread in the country.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs, states and UTs will develop standard protocols for receiving and sending stranded people including migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students.

The movement will happen by road with states consulting each other and reaching a mutual agreement.

On arrival, persons would be assessed by local health authorities and will be kept in home quarantine for a required time frame. Also, they would have to undergo periodic health check-ups.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)