The Congress on Wednesday demanded a thorough probe into the gathering of migrants at Mumbai's Bandra railway station and smelt a political conspiracy behind a social media campaign to impose President's rule in Maharashtra.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also demanded that immediate ration cards be issued to the poor to enable them to get free ration, while Priyanka Gandhi urged the Prime Minister to help migrant workers stranded at various places in the country.
Seeking to blame the Centre, Maharashtra minister Ashok Chavan cited a South Central railway communication of April 13 about special trains for migrants, saying it could have triggered the gathering at Bandra.
There was, however, no immediate comment from the Railway Ministry in Delhi about the allegations made.
The Congress leader said the incident is an attempt to disrupt communal harmony in the state and negate the state's efforts in fighting coronavirus.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded issuance of emergency ration cards to the poor who are struggling without food in this crisis.
"We appeal to the government to issue emergency ration cards in this crisis, for all those who are struggling due to lack of ration in this lockdown. Lakhs of Indians are not able to avail PDS facilities without ration cards. While grains are rotting in warehouses, hundreds of hungry stomachs are waiting. Inhuman!," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help stranded workers reach their villages, saying arrangements for sending them home should have been made in advance.
"For God's sake, Narendra Modi ji please help them," Priyanka Gandhi said while highlighting the plight of migrant workers.
Addressing a press conference through a video link, Ashok Chavan said the police is investigating the matter to ascertain who is behind the instigation of migrants and the guilty will be brought to book.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the Bandra railway station on Tuesday, after a large number of migrant workers gathered there forcing the police to resort to lathocharge to disperse them.
Migrant workers have been stranded at various places, including at state borders, ever since the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 24.
The Congress has also asked the government to probe the "role" of the Railways Ministry for migrant crisis in the country.
Chavan cited a April 13 letter by deputy chief commercial manager of South Central Railways in Secunderabad for starting 'Jansadharan specials' to clear stranded migrant workers.
Asked if he saw a conspiracy behind the Bandra gathering, Chavan said, "The matter is being investigated. The chief minister has made a statement that this matter is going to be investigated."
He said the social Media is already trying to play out this matter putting the entire blam
e on the government authorities.
"I think, we all know who is patronizing the social media people in the country. There was this trending news in the social media about imposition of presidents rule in state of Maharashtra which certainly smacks of a political conspiracy. As you can see this is not a time to play politics, so, let us first investigate into it and this was a very serious incident," he noted.
"Whatever has happened yesterday, the letter of the railway department is on record. So, all these are under investigation...
"The Government can't be responsible for creating this. What is the point, why should the Government do such a thing," he asked.
The PWD minister said the question is who has done it should be definitely caught and action should be taken against.
"I feel this needs a proper thorough investigation. The police is already on their jobs and I think, there are some people behind this who want to disturb the communal harmony, which is existing in the state of Maharashtra, disrupt the efforts taken by the government to prevent corona and to create a very difficult situation whereby,"Chavan said.
The Congress has also questioned the government on why railway bookings continued during the lockdown.
"After all, why does every disaster break on the poor and the workers? Why are decisions not taken while taking them into consideration. Why are they left on God.
"Why was booking of railway tickets allowed to continue during the lockdown," Priyanka Gandhi asked.
She said the workers were the backbone of the country and the government should help them reach their villages.
"Why were special trains not arranged? Their money has finished and so have their stock of ration. They are feeling insecure and want to go home in their villages. Arrangements should have been made for them. They can still be helped with proper planning," the Congress general secretary said in a tweet in Hindi.
Sepa
rately, Congress leader Ahmed Patel said the "role" of the Railways Ministry must be probed for the crisis among the migrants.
"Why were train services abruptly stopped leaving migrants stranded? Why was railways accepting bookings despite no clarity on lockdown extension," Patel asked.
Maharashtra's Revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, who is also the PCC chief, said the state government is providing ration to 7.5 crore people in Maharashtra through food security act. He said the state is also providing food to seven lakh poor and vulnerable people everyday.
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