Digvijaya Singh force-fits Rahul Gandhi's migrant attack, glosses over Centre's steps

Questioning the government over the death of migrants in various road accidents and on the issue of stranded migrants, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that Centre and state should provide proper compensation to the kin of the deceased. Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader shared a tweet by former party chief and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi wherein he had paid his tributes to migrants killed in Auraiya accident on Saturday. Singh further said that there should be proper management to arrange for transport, food and water facilities of the stranded migrants. 

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National migrant Information System

Singh's remarks comes even as the Centre on Saturday evening launched the National migrant Information System (NMIS)- based on the existing National disaster management authority (NDMA)'s GIS portal to streamline the movement of stranded migrants across the nation travelling via 'Shramik' trains and buses. The portal will maintain a central repository of the migrants travelling from one state to other and aid in contact tracing. As of date 1074 Shramik special trains have been operated ferrying more than 14 lakh workers.

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Auraiya accident, ex-gratia, and steps taken so far

On Saturday, a truck collided with a DCM van in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya around 3.30 AM killing as many as 15 migrant workers and injuring more than 20. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal also offered compensation for the family of the deceased as some of the victims are reportedly from Bengal.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had expressed grief over the death of eight migrant labourers in Madhya Pradesh's Guna after the truck they were travelling in collided with a bus, and the deaths of six migrant workers in another mishap on Muzaffarnagar-Saharanpur highway in his own state. He had then announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia each to the next of kin of the deceased and compensation of Rs 50,000 each to injured in both the accidents. 

Meanwhile, CM Yogi instructed all district magistrates to arrange buses for migrant workers, who are found walking on foot, to send them to their homes. Moreover, the government has also banned the entry of any migrants on foot and trucks in the wake of the tragedy. He also directed the district officials to seize vehicles carrying migrants without prior permission. The UP government ordered the district administration to file cases against the vehicle owners and drivers. 

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Stranded migrants issue

After PM Modi had announced the first phase of lockdown, on March 28, thousands of migrant workers were seen thronging the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at Delhi's Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminal in the hope of reaching their homes, defying lockdown and creating a health hazard. Similarly, after PM Modi announced the extension of the lockdown till May 3, on April 14, around 2,000 migrant workers gathered at Bandra station, under the illusion of boarding 'Jansadharan Express' trains to UP, Bengal and Bihar. Apart from this several visuals have been seen of thousands of migrants walking across state borders to reach their native homes due to loss of income amid lockdown. Three major accidents have also occurred killing 82 such migrants.

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