Priyanka Gandhi urges UP to allow 500 buses for migrants, says 'everyone’s responsibility’

Speaking up on the ongoing tussle between Uttar Pradesh government and Congress over the 1000 buses arranged for migrants' travel, Congress General Secretary (UP East), Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Wednesday, slammed UP CM Yogi Adityanath for not allowing 500 buses which were stranded at UP-Delhi border in Ghaziabad. She added that if those buses had been allowed 20,000 migrants to reach home. To date, 60 lakh migrants have returned back to UP, as stated by Awanish Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary.

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"I have seen visuals where migrants are going to their places through cycles and others are carrying their children on their shoulders. We have appreciated Yogi ji wherever we found that they are doing good. After we dispatched, 500 buses from Ghaziabad border, we received a letter seeking a list of buses along with details of driver and registration - from here all politics started," she said in her live video conference.

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She added, "On 17 May,  we deployed 500 buses at Ghaziabad border and if all these buses would have been allowed at least 20k people have reached to their villages. But they (UP govt) told that list is wrong and the details are not valid. I want to urge, please allow the buses to run and if you want to place BJP flags on buses, you can do".

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Migrant bus controversy

Vadra had arranged 1000 buses to transport migrants walking towards UP, which was accepted by the Yogi government. But after demanding details of the buses and drivers, UP Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma stated that of the 1000 buses -297 buses did not have fitness certificates, 98 were three-wheelers, cars & ambulances and 68 vehicles did not have any papers. Congress rebel MLA Aditi Singh too has slammed her party for 'fraud', while Congress claims that UP government is politicising the issue.

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UP's migrant rush

On Sunday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi, revealed that 522 trains have brought 6.65 lakh migrant workers, from other states till date. Moreover, the Uttar Pradesh government instructed all district magistrates to arrange buses for migrant workers, who are found walking on foot, to send them to their homes. While the government has also banned the entry of any migrants on foot and trucks in the wake of the three notable tragedy, killing 82 migrants travelling in trucks, the government is currently, preparing a database of the skills of the incoming workers to provide employment to 20 lakh people as per their skills and has suspended 35 labour laws for three years.