Cong Accuses Yogi Govt of Indulging in 'Cheap Politics', Not Allowing Buses to Ferry Migrants to State

The Congress on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of indulging in "cheap politics" by not allowing its buses to ferry migrants stranded at the borders.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala urged Adityanath to come to the aid of migrants and immediately grant permission to 1,000 buses made available by the Congress in this regard and not "create hurdles instead".

He also accused the chief minister of being insensitive and inhumane by embroiling migrants in cheap and petty politics.

"Kindly put a stop on cheap politics and not be insensitive and inhumane towards the plight of migrants. Kindly allow buses to ply migrants home and help them instead of embroiling them in cheap and petty politics," Surjewala told a press conference through video conferencing.

Another spokesperson Surpriya Shrinate alleged that RTOs were now threatening bus owners of buses made available by the Congress and said on the one side the Uttar Pradesh government was giving permission and on the other it was creating hurdles. "This is clear double standards," she said.

Congress leader Rajeev Shukla said the Uttar Pradesh government was insensitive towards migrants' plight and was unnecessarily creating hurdles in ferrying them safely back home.

Another party leader Rajeev Satav said it is clear that the BJP governments at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh were only indulging in cheap politics and this was an example of their "failed governance".

There has been a back and forth exchange of communication over plying of 1,000 buses to ferry migrants home, after the Congress made available a list of buses, but the Uttar Pradesh government sought their inspection in Lucknow and then at Gautam Budh Nagar and Noida.

The Uttar Pradesh government has also alleged that some of the bus numbers given by the Congress are of two-wheelers and three-wheelers.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said people were wondering why thousands of buses were not being used by the Adityanath government to send the stranded migrant workers to their homes.

"The common people are wondering why the thousands of government buses, private buses and school buses are gathering dust, and not being utilised in sending the stranded migrant labourers to their homes," Yadav tweeted. "What kind of stubbornness is this? Using force instead of buses is wrong," he added.