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    NDA ally LJP unhappy with Nitish govt over migrant workers' situation

    Synopsis

    NDA partner Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) is unhappy with the way Nitish Kumar government addressed the hardhips faced by Bihari labourers spread across the country.

    chirag paswan bccl
    NEW DELHI: NDA partner Lok Janshakti Party has expressed its unhappiness over the way Nitish Kumar government responded to the crisis faced by Bihari labourers across the country after the national lockdown.

    “I think there was a delay on the state government’s part in terms of taking action,” LJP president Chirag Paswan told ET on Sunday.

    Ever since the lockdown was announced last Wednesday , reports started coming from several states that labourers of UP and Bihar were finding it difficult to make ends meet, and wanted to go back home. The situation in different parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and other places started worsening once rail and road transport services were stopped and the workers started walking home along the highways.

    “We were receiving calls from Bihari people from different parts of the country and I personally tried to convey it to the chief secretary of Bihar government. I repeatedly talked to the government officials but nothing significant happened for two days,” Chirag said.

    Chirag also said he personally tried helplines numbers released by the state government for workers stranded in different parts of the country and found none of the numbers were working.

    On Saturday, Chirag called Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bhupendra Yadav, who is the BJP leader in charge of Bihar, and discussed the situation requesting for help. “I requested them that the people of Bihar who are stranded in different parts should be provided with food and shelter at those places immediately,” Chirag added. “The home minister assured me that the best for Bihari people will be done in different states, while co-ordinating with the state governments.”

    Shah also told him to directly reach out to the Union government in case he received any call for help from any part of the country. Now Chirag is in constant touch with the Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar three days ago released Rs 100 crore from the CM relief fundfor the migrant labourers from Bihar and issued an appeal that they should shelter in whichever states they were at the time. However, the labourers were still not convinced and they left on foot for their destination, causing chaos at some places including Anand Vihar on the Delhi-UP border.

    State minister Sanjay Jha said community kitchens and isolation centres were made ready in different parts of the state for people coming back to Bihar from other states. “The arrangement for stay, food and medical examination has been made at these centres. All those coming from outside will have to spend 14 days at these centres,”Jha said.

    Chirag Pawan said this would work only if there was proper arrangement for isolation. “If the people reside in groups then the purpose would be defeated,” he said.



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