Everyone has seen migrants' pain, except Centre: Sonia Gandhi
May 28, 2020
New Delhi [India], May 28 : Accusing the Central government of not listening to the plight of the migrants, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday demanded that the government provide Rs 7,500 to every needy family of the country for the next six months and a Rs 10,000 as immediate relief to them.
In a video message, part of Congress 'Speak Up India' campaign, Sonia said, "Congress has decided to conduct this social campaign to raise the voice of India. We again urge the Central Government to open the lock of the treasury and provide relief to the needy. Make a cash payment of Rs 7,500 per month directly to every family for six months and give Rs 10,000 immediately."
"Arrange for safe and free travel of the labourers and bring them home and make arrangements for their daily bread and ration. Ensure 200 days work under Mahatma Gandhi MNREGA, to provide employment in the village itself. Instead of giving loans to small scale industries, give financial help, so that crores of jobs can be saved and the country can also grow. In this hour of crisis, we all are with every countryman and together we will surely win these difficult situations," she added.
She stated that for the last two months, the whole country is going through a severe economic crisis of livelihood-employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"For the first time since independence, everyone saw the pain of millions of labourers who were forced to walk for hundreds of thousands of kilometres barefoot, hungry and thirsty, without medicine and means. Every heart across this country saw their plight and pain, perhaps not the government," said Sonia.
Millions of jobs were lost, millions of businesses were destroyed, factories closed, farmers had to stumble to sell crops. The whole country suffered, but perhaps the government did not even realise it, she added.
"From the very first day, all my Congress colleagues, economists, sociologists and every pioneer of society have repeatedly told the government that this is the time to heal the wound. Be it workers or farmers, industry or small shopkeepers, the government should help everyone. I don't know why the central government is constantly refusing to understand and implement this," she said.
