The Congress on Friday accused the Union government of ‘mercilessly’ abandoning the migrant labourers and asserted that the Home Ministry’s order allowing the inter-State movement of those stranded was a ‘cruel joke and non-starter’.

The party said the Centre should have provided ₹2,500 crore to the State governments to facilitate a smooth movement of workers.

In a series of tweets, former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram offered his suggestions to the government as well. He noted that the government had listened to some of the suggestions of the Congress. There were more that ‘deserve to be accepted by the government forthwith’, he said.

“Make cash transfers to the bottom half of the families (13 crore families). Provide financial assistance package including wage assistance and credit guarantee to MSMEs. Prepare Exit strategy after current lockdown ends on May 3 and announce a Paycheque Protection Programme for low-salaried tax payers,” he said.

‘Mismanagement’

Addressing an online press conference, Rajya Sabha member and party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the Central government’s approach towards the poor was reflected by the ‘mismanagement’ of migrant labour. The Centre had mercilessly, cruelly and without a second thought abandoned the entire category of migrant labour,” he alleged.

Mr. Singhvi claimed that Uttar Pradesh and Bihar alone expected about 42 lakh workers from different parts of the country. Bihar alone expected an estimated 25 lakh workers from States as far as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra and they cannot be transported unless special trains were pressed into service. “Is this a solution or madness.” Why the Centre could not arrange special trains earlier like it did with special flights, he asked. 

“It is as if it [the Home Ministry’s order] was issued by an ignorant and uncaring person and constituting a cruel joke on the migrant workers. It is on the backs of these migrant labour that we enjoy our infrastructure,” he stated.

Labourers were given only four hours’ notice before the implementation of the lockdown while they required food and water before travelling to their home towns, he added.