Govt doesn’t want us to help migrants: UP Congress chief

AGRA: The Uttar Pradesh-Rajasthan border was in the spotlight as the Congress awaited the state government’s permission for its buses to enter UP on Tuesday. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Kumar Lallu blamed the BJP government in UP for not allowing the buses arranged by Congress.

He was present on the Rajasthan side of the border, where a fleet of buses was stationed. “We have arranged 800 private buses which are lined up within the Rajasthan border. We are awaiting permission from the Agra district administration to enter Uttar Pradesh through Fatehpur Sikri. The buses are to move towards Ghaziabad and Noida, from where migrant labourers are to be taken home,” he said on the phone, hours before he was arrested.

“The district administration of Agra is letting the matter linger at the instance of the Uttar Pradesh government as they do not intend to let us help the migrant workers and they are playing politics on this issue,” he said. Congress leader Pradeep Mathur also complained about the buses not being allowed to enter UP. “The district administration is not responding to our appeal and is playing politics on issue of migrant labourers,” alleged Mathur, a four-time former MLA from Mathura. Agra senior superintendent of police Babloo Kumar said various documents, including fitness certificates, were awaited.

He denied allegations about delaying the issue.