Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil
Kumar Modi on Thursday charged the opposition with spreading rumours that BJP-ruled Karnataka had sought cancellation of trains ferrying away migrant workers while remaining silent on not a single Shramik Special coming to the state from Punjab where the Congress is in power.
The Deputy CM, who is one of the states senior-most BJP leaders, said already two trains have arrived from Karnataka and more were to follow in the days to come and bristled at the Congress paying just under Rs six lakh for bringing some students and labourers from Gujarat but touting it as a great benediction bestowed upon by Sonia Gandhi.
In a series of scathing tweets, Modi sought to debunk the allegations by the opposition RJD-Congress combine which had on the previous day attacked the B S Yeddyurappa government for reportedly seeking cancellation of trains following pressure from the builders lobby.
Two trains have already come from Karnataka and eight more are scheduled to arrive in the days to come, said Modi shortly after the government of the southern state did a volte face and shot off missives to various provinces, including Bihar, seeking in principle approval for running more trains.
Citing the example of Punjab, where Bihari migrants have been finding employment as agricultural labourers and at cottage and small scale industries for a few decades, the Deputy CM sought to know whether Amarinder Singh government has held them hostage.
He also sought to draw contrast with BJP-ruled Haryana and cited the example of a train carrying labourers from Hisar reaching Kishanganj.
However, a list of trains scheduled to reach here on Friday, released by the East Central Railway zone at Hajipur, showed two Shramik Specials coming from Ludhiana and Jalandhar to Purnea and Darbhanga respectively.
Reacting with indignation, Congress MLC and AICC spokesman Prem Chandra Mishra said Sushil Modi has been in a habit of speaking lies. Recently he had lied about no opposition legislator contributing salary to Chief Ministers Relief Fund following which I have sent him a legal notice. But he refuses to mend his ways.
Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio, added that many workers were now preferring to return to work instead of a journey back home in the wake of relaxations in the lockdown which has led to resumption of some economic activities.
The lockdown imposed to prevent spread of coronavirus has served as an occasion to remind the entire country about the preciousness of Bihars work force. A reason why 222 workers from Khagaria district have returned to Telangana, where the government was imploring them to resume work at rice mills.
"Moreover, Karnataka government has announced special package for them, Modi remarked with pride.
He, however, also expressed disgust over the Congress going public with its payment of Rs 6.82 lakh for a train that has brought back 1185 workers and students to Bihar from Gujarat, yet another BJP stronghold.
They are calling it Sonia Gandhis mahaan kripa (great benediction). Those respecting Indian sanskaars (value system) do not trumpet their acts of generosity, remarked the BJP leader.
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