Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the Uttar Pradesh government of laxity that delayed the safe return of about 72,000 migrant workers.

She said about thousand buses organised by the Congress were ready to transport migrants but the State Government has not provided the necessary clearances for plying those buses.

She requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to allow the use of buses. She said safe travel of migrant workers should be a priority and the BJP may use its symbols and flags or take credit for the travel.

‘Allow buses to ply’

“I want to urge the Chief Minister that our buses will remain parked where they are at the borders (with Rajasthan) till 4 pm and it will be 24 hours since they were made available there. If you want to use them, kindly allow permission to us to ply them. If you want, you can paste your posters or banners on them, but kindly allow them to ply so that the migrants can be ferried home safely,” she said in a video message posted on various social media handles of the Congress.

She urged the BJP to keep politics away from such issues. “This is not the time to play politics. I urge every political party to set aside its political ideology and help people instead,” she said. The Congress in Uttar Pradesh has already reached out to more than 66 lakh people by providing rations and food packets and its units will continue to help the migrant workers.