Former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha and Aam Aadmi Party leaders Sanjay Singh and Dilip Pandey were detained on Monday during a protest at Rajghat demanding migrant labourers be sent back to their States “with respect”.The leaders were taken to Rajinder Nagar police station and later released, said Sanjay Bhatia, DCP (Central).

“We have just been arrested by the Delhi Police,” Mr. Sinha confirmed in a tweet. Mr. Pandey also took to Twitter: “We have been arrested by @DelhiPolice from Rajghat, while demanding, smooth passage, with dignity for migrants to their home towns, too much to ask? BJP’s police do not arrest the MP who promotes hatred, but arrested us all when we raised our voice for the rights of the workers.”

The AAP leaders as well as RJD MP Manoj Jha were among several leaders who had joined Mr. Sinha at his protest. “Authorities have completely failed to solve the problems of migrant workers. For more than 50 days they have been walking. Armed forces and paramilitary should be given charge of the situation and these workers should be sent back to their homes in 48 hours,” Mr. Sinha told The Hindu. “These workers have been compelled to walk on the roads and they should be sent home with dignity,” he added.

Mr. Singh alleged that the Centre had left the poor to die on the roads. “When the Railways have the capacity to carry more than two crore people a day, why not take the migrant workers back to their States?” he said.