Weeks after the Uttar Pradesh government stopped the entry of buses requisitioned by the Congress on instructions from Priyanka Gandhi to transport migrant workers, a special train arranged on her instruction carried over 1600 workers from Mumbai to Lucknow on May 31.
Lockdown displaces lakhs of migrants
“Priyankaji’s office is in constant touch with us throughout the period of lockdown, especially informing us about the stranded workers from Uttar Pradesh and catering to their needs, be it of ration or of travel,” said Suraj Singh Thakur, State vice-president of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC).
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Around 1600 migrant workers from different parts of U.P. such as Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Raibareli, Gorakhpur, Gonda and Basti were in contact with Ms. Gandhi’s office and had expressed their wish to return to their home towns. The list of workers was provided from Ms Gandhi’s office to the State unit, according to which arrangements were made.
Mr. Thakur said that it was decided to organise a special train for these workers, though the Shramik trains were already running to and from Maharashtra to Uttar Pradesh. State’s Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad and Mr. Thakur were told to direct these workers to assemble at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, from where the special train for Lucknow was scheduled. The train left Mumbai on May 31 and reached Lucknow on June 1, dropping all the workers at their desired destination.
Ms. Gandhi was engaged in stand-off with U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the arrangement of buses to transport migrant workers. With State government denying them entry, the plan could not proceed.
“She may have faced some problems in arranging buses, but she ensured that the workers reached U.P. and, when needed, she personally directed us to make arrangement for a special train,” the youth Congress leader said.
