Congress defends Rahul Gandhi's migrants interaction, seeks apology for 'dramebaazi' jibe

On Sunday, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala slammed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for terming Rahul Gandhi's interaction with migrant workers in Delhi as "dramebaazi". He contended that this was akin to rubbing salt on the wounds of the migrants rather than providing them relief. Surjewala questioned whether the helplessness of workers walking on the roads without food and water was also a "drama". Describing the Union government as "insensitive", he called upon Prime Minister Modi and Sitharaman to issue an apology to the migrant workers.

Read: Coronavirus Live Updates: FM Announces Last Tranche Of Stimulus Package, Cases At 90,927

Sitharaman slams Rahul Gandhi's gesture

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi interacted with 20 migrant workers hailing from Madhya Pradesh in Delhi's Sukhdev Vihar area on Saturday. They were resting on a footpath on their way to Jhansi from Haryana. As per reports, volunteers from the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee arranged vehicles for the group to return to their hometown while following all social distancing norms. 

Read: 'Rahul Gandhi's Associates Took Migrants Away': Delhi Police Hit Back At Cong's Allegation

Lashing out at Gandhi earlier in the day, the Union Finance Minister claimed that the Congress party was politicising the problems faced by migrant workers instead of asking the states ruled by them to arrange more trains for ferrying the migrant workers to their native places. Sitharaman appealed to Congress for working together with the government on this issue. She also requested Congress president Sonia Gandhi to deal with the migrant crisis more responsibly. 

Nirmala Sitharaman opined, "Why does the Congress party not demand more trains in the states ruled by them? They should ferry more migrants to their native places by trains instead of having a conversation with them while they are walking back to their villages. It would have been better if he (Rahul Gandhi) would have lifted the suitcase and child of the migrant workers while walking. I am saying this with sadness. Why doesn’t the Congress party tell their states to demand more trains from the Centre? Congress party described these press conferences as dramebaazi. Is the conversation with migrants yesterday not dramebaazi? I want to tell the opposition party with folded hands- we have to work together on the issue of migrants. I want to appeal to Congress president Sonia Gandhi- let us speak responsibly, let us deal with our migrants more responsibly."

Read: Congress Lambasts Centre's 11 Support Measures For Farmers, Fires 'debt Trap' Charge

Read: Congress Terms Centre's Economic Tranche 'numerical Bombshells'; Demands Cash Transfer