Rahul attacks Modi government, says migrant workers from Bihar faced hardships during lockdown against COVID-19
Nov 03, 2020
Katihar (Bihar) [India], November 3 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday Narendra Modi government over "hardships" faced by migrant workers after the lockdown was announced to contain coronavirus and alleged that timely help was not provided to them despite repeated appeals by the party.
Speaking at a public rally in Katihar, Gandhi also alleged that farmers not getting due price for their produce in Bihar under the NDA government.
He said lakhs of people had to walk long distances after the first lockdown was announced in March this year to contain COVID-19.
"During corona, you must have remembered how lakhs of workers without food and water travelled from Mumbai, Punjab, Haryana to Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. I told Narendra Modi to help them and provide food and water, but it was not provided," Gandhi said.
He said Congress provided buses to workers to reach their homes.
"We were not able to provide help to lakhs of workers as we are not in the government but we helped those we could," he said.
He said no public transport was available to lakhs of migrant workers going to their homes.
"Modiji did not help them. When you requested, then Modiji and Nitishji did not help you. Today they are asking for votes from you. Where were they when you required them," he asked.
He also raised issues concerning floods and said little had been done to prevent the recurrent problem in the state.
He said agriculture infrastructure had not been developed in Bihar and farmers were also not getting due price for their crops.
"If the farmers of Bihar do not get fair price for their produce and if there is no processing plant what will they do? So the farmers and workers have no choice but to go to the other states for work," he said.
"In Chhattisgarh where Congress party is in the government, farmers get Rs 2,500 per quintal for paddy, here in Bihar you get Rs 700. What mistake did you make? You voted for Nitishji and Modiji. Now is the time to rectify the mistake," he added.
Raking up the issue of jobs, he said BJP had promised 2 crore jobs to people but it was not fulfilled.
He also accused the central government of waving taxes of "very rich people" and not providing relief to the poor.
He said a government formed by grand alliance will be "government for all".
