MAYA TELLS CADRES TO HELP MIGRANTS, ATTACKS CONG

LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati urged her party cadres to help the distressed migrant labourers even as she lashed out at the Congress, which she claimed was enacting a drama of helping the poor.

“Today it’s distressing to see the plight of migrant labourers and I believe the Congress party should be held responsible for this. That’s because since independence had the Congress party really cared about these poor and ensured jobs locally then they wouldn’t have migrated in the first place,” she said in a press note issued to the media on Saturday.

“The videos of Congress leaders helping out migrant labourers hit hard by lockdown appear more of a drama and less about genuine concern. It would have been better had the Congress party shared how much it actually helped those migrants,” said Mayawati, who has been UP chief minister four times in the past.

“I also wish to tell the BJP state governments and the one at the centre to not follow the Congress model and instead ensure that the poor labourers returning home are given employment locally. This would also help make them self-reliant and then these poor would never be subjected to such misery ever,” she said. “It would also be a great and true act of patriotism,” she said in her message to the BJP.

“I would also like to urge my cadres to help those migrant labourers who upon their return are facing discrimination in villages. The BSP cadres must help them and all others who are unable to get government help. Only a poor can understand the plight of poor,” she said.

› Today it’s distressing to see the plight of migrant labourers and I believe the Congress party should be held responsible for this. MAYAWATI, BSP chief