UP accepts Cong offer of buses for migrants

Uttar Pradesh government on Monday accepted Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s offer that the party would run 1,000 buses at its expense to help ease the movement of migrant workers in the state. The decision came a day after chief minister Yogi Adityanath targeted the Congress over the transport of stranded workers as the party lined up buses on the Up-rajasthan border.

Priyanka Gandhi thanked the CM for giving the Congress permission to run the buses. “@myogiadityanath ji saving life of people, protecting the poor and their dignity is our moral responsibility and right in the time of this pandemic. In this difficult time, the Congress is doing its duty of service as per its capability. Running these buses is an extension of our service…we thank you for giving permission to the Congress to run 1,000 buses on its cost to help thousands of brothers and sisters walking down. I assure you that we will continue to stand with the people of UP affected by lockdown, with a feeling of positivity,” she wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, UP’S additional chief secretary, home,

Awanish Kumar Awasthi, in a letter addressed to the private secretary of Priyanka Gandhi, asked for a list of the buses and other details.

The Congress welcomed the state government’s move within minutes, saying the details sought by the state government would be sent soon.

“We welcome the state government’s decision .... We are compiling details and will submit the list at the earliest,” said party leader Aradhna Mishra.

Later in the day, the Congress submitted a list of 1,000 buses to the state government.

“We will make these buses ready to run on the border again on Tuesday. A list of these buses is being attached with this email. A verification of drivers in the list will be carried out again and their list will be submitted within a few hours. We are sure a permission letter for these buses will be provided by you,” said Priyanka Gandhi’s private secretary Sandeep Singh in a letter to Awasthi.

In a letter sent to the CM on Saturday, Priyanka Gandhi had requested the state government for permission to run 1,000 buses.

Adityanath had criticized the Congress for playing politics at a time the nation is battling the coronavirus crisis.