Priyanka Gandhi urges UP CM to press 20,000 Roadways buses into service to bring back labourers

The Congress leader also appealed to the police that they should not use force against the labourers

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday reiterated her demand that Uttar Pradesh government should deploy the roadways buses to take the hapless labourers to their native places.

"There is a situation of chaos on the roads of the country. The labourers are walking back on foot from the cities with their children and families on empty stomachs. It seems as if the system has forgotten them. Lakhs of labourers are on the roads braving the summer heat. Accidents are happening every day," Priyanka tweeted.

"These poor Indians are getting killed every day. Why is the government not running buses for them? 20,000 buses of Uttar Pradesh Roadways are sitting idle. I request the government to put them in service. It is because of the efforts of the labourers that our cities got made and the country got forward," she added.

She further assured the labourers that the Congress workers will support them.

"For God's sake, please do not leave the labourers in a helpless state. I request all the district units in Uttar Pradesh to serve the labourers wholeheartedly. Each and every one of the Congress workers is standing with the labourers," she tweeted.

She also appealed to the police that they should not use force against the labourers.

"I make a special request to the police. I understand that your work is stressful and you are troubled. But kindly do not use force against the helpless labourers. As it is they are under a lot of duress. Kindly protect their dignity," she added.

The country is in a state of lockdown since March 25 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

During his address to the nation on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a stimulus totalling around Rs 20 lakh crore, which is equivalent to 10 per cent of India's GDP to rescue the economy reeling under the impact of coronavirus-led lockdown.