PMK founder S. Ramadoss has charged that the State Government has not taken steps to bring back at least 1,000 Tamils stranded in Maharashtra due to the COVID-19 lockdown imposed across India.
In a statement on Friday, Dr. Ramadoss said that around 216 people from Tiruvannamalai district went to Maharashtra in search of work a few months ago. “Many of them were staying in Vashi and have lost their jobs since the lockdown was imposed. They have lost their livelihood and they are unable to return even if they wanted to,” he said. Despite the Tamil workers having applied on the State Government’s website requesting a rescue, no efforts have been taken.
“They have been told that a separate train cannot be run for 216 people. It would cost around ₹8 lakh to hire buses. How will they come up with so much money? The Tiruvannamalai district collector has also told them that some donations would be arranged but there has been no further development in that regard,” said Dr. Ramadoss.
He added that there are also 800 Tamils who are living in Mumbai city in neighbourhoods such as Mahim and they too should be brought back with monsoons about to set in the city.
“Vashi is just 70 kilometres from Mumbai. The 216 people can be brought home along with 800 Tamils living in Mumbai to Tamil Nadu,” he said and sought Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami's intervention.
