Sonu Sood recently met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. (Photo: Siddharth Kannan/Twitter)
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has been helping stranded migrant workers across the nation reach their home states. After sending 177 migrant workers stuck in Kerala to Orissa, the actor funded another charter flight to fly over 170 migrant workers to Dehradun in Uttrakhand from Mumbai.
Talking about the same, the actor in a statement said, “As another charter flight takes flight today, our efforts to help migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country have only grown stronger. Most of them have never had the opportunity to experience air travel, and the smiles on their faces bring me a lot of joy as they take this AirAsia India flight to reach home to their families and friends.”
Recently his efforts were questioned by Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut who alleged that the actor was working at the behest of BJP. However, on Sunday, Sonu Sood met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray at Matoshree. The actor is said to have apprised the CM of his work.
Soon after the meeting, Raut tweeted, “Sonu Sood finally seems to have located the address of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister.”
The attempt to give Sonu Sood’s work a political angle has been condemned by many of his fans on social media. However, none of this has affected the actor’s efforts to help migrant workers.
Actor Sonu Sood was not allowed to meet migrant workers who were heading home from Bandra station. As per Times Now, the actor was asked to return from the terminal.
Politician Rajdeep Roy has thanked Sonu Sood for helping migrant workers. "For your action of providing @AirAsia services to 180 stranded labourers/migrants to come back to their near and dear ones at home in #barakvalley/#silchar. This will always be cherished! Happy landing 12.10pm!"
Praising Sonu Sood, Siddharth Kannan wrote, "brother, you’ve walked the talk! Your compassion and dedication has saved thousands of life as well as made this work a better place! Thank you for showing us the true meaning of humanity!"
After reuniting with his family, a Twitter user, @Satya01258773, tweeted a video thanking Sonu Sood.
Sonu Sood appreciated the efforts of his friend Neeti Goel in serving food to the migrants. "So proud of you @NeetiGoel2 keep the good work going. Kudos team @khaanachahiye for feeding so many migrants in our mission. We as a team will continue to serve till we reunite the last migrant with his family," the actor wrote.
@imR1reddy expressed his wish to see Sonu Sood in politics. "Hats off to the man @SonuSood who have been helping the poor since many days. Sonu bhai is more than politicians who have never taken care of poor he is working and helping as a great leader and politician man like him shld be in politics i pray god that he shld enter politics," he mentioned.
Singer Deepak Thakur, who was also seen in Bigg Boss and MTV Ace of Space, dedicated a song to Sonu Sood.
In a video, over 70 migrants sought help from Sonu Sood to reach Assam.
Sonu Sood warned fans against people who are taking advantage of the situation. "Kindly don’t fall in any trap. Their are many fakes trying to take the advantage. So please report to the nearest police station," the actor tweeted.
Appreciating Sonu Sood's efforts to help migrants, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap tweeted, "You are doing a great job @SonuSood. Ignore the naysayers and haters. You are doing more than the respective governments even when it’s not suppose to be your responsibility. More power to you. Just be at it brother."
Fans have expressed their disappointment over a few who have been questioning Sonu Sood's efforts to send migrants home. "The way Sonu Sood is being hounded by Shiv Sena for merely helping migrant labourers to reach their home is the reason why non-political ppl don't come forward to help who our incompetent politicians fail to help. I mean this guy is being abused for helping," @shivani_nannu tweeted. Another Twitter user, @Kumari31352538, wrote, "Huge respect for Sonu Sood sir, who is selflessly working for the migrants. Highly ashamed of people who are mocking him."
"While most of us just sit in our Ac rooms and discuss the state of affairs in the country, a few like @SonuSood continue in their endeavour relentlessly and diligently.. more power to you bro," Rohit Bose Roy wrote on Twitter.
"My journey with my migrant brothers & sisters has been the most special one. It's straight from the heart.Right from Kashmir to Kanya Kumari whenever anyone tried to reach me, I've put all my efforts to help them reunite with their families & will continue to do so," Sonu Sood said via Twitter.
In a tweet, Sonu Sood thanked the state governments for their help in sending migrant workers to their home states. "I would like to thank all the state governments who helped me in the process. I'm immensely grateful to them for always encouraging my efforts for the entire nation. Jai Hind" the actor wrote on Twitter.
"Would request people to send requests only which are genuine. Have observed people tweet and later delete their requests which proves their are many fakes. This hampers our operation and will affect the real needy. So kindly think about the ones who need us," the actor tweeted.
In a tweet, Aaditya Thackeray mentioned, "This evening @SonuSood met up with @CMOMaharashtra Uddhav Thackeray ji along with Minister @AslamShaikh_MLA ji and me. Better Together, Stronger Together to assist as many people through as many people. Good to have met a good soul to work for the people together." In response to the tweet, Sonu Sood wrote, "Was a pleasure. Thank you for all the support offered to help my migrant brothers reunite with their families."