Dharmendra Pradhan lashes out at Congress, says it should be sensitive towards migrant labourers
May 15, 2020
New Delhi [India], May 15 : Amid COVID-19 lockdown, Union Minister and BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday lashed out at the Congress and said that it should be sensitive towards issues being faced by migrant labourers.
"Congress-ruled states are not taking back migrant labourers even as they are returning from other states. I do not wish to name them. But Congress should be sensitive towards migrant labourers. They should instruct their state governments to shoulder their responsibility, to receive and send people in a proper way. Congress should not indulge in petty politics at this juncture," the minister told ANI.
Pradhan was responding to Congress' remarks that the migrant population has been left to the mercy of God.
Responding to Congress' claims that under the Centre's scheme migrant labourers did not get anything, he said, "The two-month free ration packages, is it not going to migrant labourers? The Finance Minister yesterday said that those who will be going back to states will be getting MNREGS jobs. Is that not meant for migrants? Reverse migration has started in some parts of the country. The poorest of the poor are at the epicentre of decisions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
The Minister also responded to former Union Finance Minister and Congress leader Chidambaram's tweets in which he referred to comments made by MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
"Minister Gadkari says that governments and PSUs owe Rs 5 lakh crore as unpaid dues to MSMEs. Minister Sitharaman says she will offer a collateral-free loan of Rs 3 lakh crore to MSMEs (numbering 45 lakhs). So, who is the lender and who is the borrower?!" Chidambaram had tweeted on Friday.
"Will the two ministers 'settle their accounts' first and let MSMEs save themselves without government's 'help'?" he added sarcastically.
Reacting to the tweets, Pradhan said, "Everyone knows in what condition he had left the country's economy while his party ruled the country."
