Centre acting ‘inhumanely’ towards migrants: Congress’ KC Venugopal

Congress party leaders launched an all-out attack against the BJP-led central government over the latter’s decision to charge migrant workers for their train journey back home. While Congress general secretary KC Venugopal accused the Centre of acting in an “inhuman manner” towards migrant workers, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked the government to wake up from its "deep slumber".

New Delhi: Congress General Secretary, KC Venugopal on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government of acting in an “inhuman manner” towards migrant labourers while requesting it of ensuring their free and safe travel back home.

"This Government has handled the issue of migrant workers in the most inhumane way. Centre has not fulfilled its responsibility to provide free transportation to the migrants, providing them with food, even after several requests made by the Congress party, therefore, we have come forward to help these labourers. We will do our duty within the limited resources we have," said Venugopal.

"Congress state units will work out modalities with State Chief Secretaries and Railway officials to pay train fare for migrants returning home," added the Congress leader.

On BJP’s accusation that the Congress party is politicising the issue at a time of crisis, Venugopal said, “We have said it many times, it is not the time to play politics. If the Government will provide free tickets to the migrants, we will welcome that decision.”

The statement came after Congress President Sonia Gandhi announced that all the Pradesh Congress Committees will bear the cost for the rail travel of the stranded migrants hoping to reach back their native states.

Joining Venugopal, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also launched a scathing attack against the Centre asking it to wake up from its “deep slumber”.

"It is time for Government to wake up from its deep slumber and own its responsibility to millions of people who have contributed to India's growth story, including our labourers and migrant workers,” said Surjewala.

The senior party leader added, "Centre has an adequate amount of money to write-off the dues of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi but it is not able to bear the cost of train tickets of these migrant workers."

Meanwhile, the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu state units of Congress party have already given an amount of Rs 1 crore to the respective state governments to ensure free transportation for the migrant labourers.