Gehlot speaks to Shah, requests him to facilitate return of migrants stuck in other states

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said he spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested him to facilitate the return of migrants from Rajasthan stuck in other states due to the lockdown.

Gehlot said the Centre should consider the plight of the labourers and allow them to return to their homes.

"I spoke to the union home minister and said the Government of India should treat Rajasthan in a different manner. Larger number of migrants from Rajasthan live in other states be it Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and they are traders, employees, workers, shop keepers etc and want to come back," he told reporters.

He said the home minister has asked him to discuss with the officials and respond on Tuesday.

"They (migrant labourers) want to go back home and once the situation improves, they would return with a new confidence. The Government of India should take up the matter," he said.

"I have asked the prime minister, have written a letter too to explain the situation of migrant labourers. They are mentally broken and are depressed now," he said.

After Uttar Pradesh, he said, Assam, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have also agreed to take their students back from Kota. UP had sent 250 buses for the return of the students.

He said there are 4,000 students in Kota who are from various parts of Rajasthan and arrangements to send home are being made. The CM said the Centre should also take a decision to release more wheat soon.

The CM said the state government was strengthening its health infrastructure.

“We are managing challenges at the health and economy front in a balanced manner,” he said.