BJP, TRS Govts Failed to Help Migrant Workers: Uttam

Hyderabad, May 17: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & Nalgonda MP Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the BJP Government at the Centre and TRS Government in Telangana have failed to help the migrant workers who were worst affected due to ongoing lockdown in the country in view of Coronavirus.

Uttam Kumar Reddy offered lime juice to break the day-long fast at Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday by ex-MP and former PCC President V. Hanumantha Rao and other leaders on the alleged harassment by Telangana Police to Congress leaders who are trying to help the migrant workers.

Speaking to media persons on the occasion, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the pain and sufferings of migrant workers today were so extreme and intense that they could be compared with the difficulties faced by people who were forced to migrate during partition of India in 1947. He said people have turned refugees in their own country and they were being disowned and left in the lurch by the BJP and TRS Governments. He said the unplanned lockdown by Prime Minister Narender Modi Government has created a human crisis in the country wherein poor migrant workers, along with their families and small children, are walking thousands of kilometres to reach their homes. Further, the negligent attitude of KCR Govt has worsened the situation. He said that the Modi and KCR Governments have failed to provide food, shelter or even transport to lakhs of migrant workers.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the State Government was not helping the migrant workers. He said even promised assistance of providing rice and cash was not given to a majority of migrant workers. Further, he said that the government was not allowing the Congress party to help the migrant workers who are in distress. Following the directions of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party leaders and workers across the Telangana State have been trying to help the migrant workers in every possible manner. However, he said it was strange that cases under serious offences have been booked against Congress leaders who tried to help the migrant workers.

He said ex-PCC President V. Hanumantha Rao was arrested by the police when he tried to visit Kagazhnagar and Sircilla to help the migrant workers by arranging transport for them. He said Hanumantha Rao was a senior leader who had served as Member of Parliament for three terms. He said the attitude of Telangana Police towards Hanumantha Rao was totally wrong. He said police officials should not violate the law just to obey the orders of their political bosses. He appealed to the State Police not to create hurdles and obstacles in Congress party’s efforts to send back the migrant workers to their native places on humanitarian grounds.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that lakhs of migrant workers were on streets without food, shelter and transport for the last 50 days. He said the migrant workers have played a major role in construction, housing and other sectors in Telangana. He said that the State Government should take measures on war footing basis to help these migrant workers. He pointed out that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi personally interacted with migrant workers on Delhi roads yesterday to send a message to entire party cadre that they should help the migrant workers in whatever form they could during this time of crisis.

The TPCC president said that none of the announcements made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has actually reached the beneficiaries in Telangana State. He said although the Finance Minister announced that Centre would provide rice and Dal to White Ration Card holders, there is still no clarity on whether or not it reached Telangana State and who is responsible for the delay.

Speaking the on the occasion, Hanumantha Rao said that he would undertake fast unto death if the government fails to do justice with the migrant workers.