6.5 lakh migrant workers brought back home, says Adityanath; accuses oppn of playing politics

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said 6.5 lakh stranded migrant workers have so far been brought back to Uttar Pradesh from other states.

The chief minister gave this figure in a video message in which he also attacked opposition parties of playing politics as the country fights coronavirus.

He claimed that more than six lakh people stuck in other states due to the nationwide lockdown against coronavirus were brought back by March 28.

In the second phase, over 50,000 labourers returned home, he said.

He said the state government had deployed thousands of buses for the exercise so far.

The chief minister said the returning labourers were sent into home quarantine after being given rations and a maintenance allowance of Rs 1,000 each.

He accused the opposition of trying to weaken the country's fight against coronavirus.

"When the country is moving ahead in its fight against coronavirus, there are many who are playing politics in this situation too," he said.

"It is saddening that some people are attempting to weaken India's strong fight against the virus due to their own political interests," the chief minister said.

He claimed that the PM Garib Kalyan package announced for the poor during the pandemic had frustrated those who used to usurp money meant for the poor when they were in power.

Adityanath said while his government was standing by everyone without any discrimination, some parties were doing "unnecessary politics".

He said this behaviour was against political decorum.

The people know everything, he said, adding that the public will reply to such negative people.

Adityanath listed the initiatives taken by his government in recent weeks.

The first installment of Rs 2,000 each was credited into the accounts of 2.34 crore farmers in April and the second installment is being sent this month, he said.

Apart from this, an amount of Rs 1,630 crore has been sent to the Jan Dhan accounts of 3.26 crore women in April and a similar amount credited to them in May.

He said free cooking gas cylinders have been provided to 1.47 crore families and free foodgrain distributed twice to 18 crore poor people. It is being distributed the third time now, he added.

Over 30 lakh people including daily- wage labourers have been given a maintenance allowance of Rs 1,000 each and free foodgrain.

He said 88 lakh pension holder have been given an advance payment.