Centre proposing to do away with Interstate Migrant Workmen Act, alleges Cong

The Narendra Modi government is proposing to do away with the Interstate Migrant Workmen Act, even though it is the Centre's responsibility to ensure workers' rights are taken care of under the legislation especially during the lockdown, the Congress said on Saturday.

The party said Parliament should assert itself and not allow this to happen, as it called upon the Centre and the states to jointly formulate an action plan to ensure safe return of migrants to their homes.

"The Modi government has proposed to do away with the Inter-State Migrant Act, 1979. Parliament should assert itself forcefully to ensure this does not happen. If anything, the Act needs to be updated and strengthened. The inexcusable loss of lives and livelihoods needs to stop now," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said.

Asserting that inter-state migration is the "exclusive jurisdiction" of the Centre, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, "The BJP government should do its duty rather than shirking responsibility, passing the buck and extorting money from labourers."