Mamata confirms participation in Opposition meeting on Friday to discuss COVID crisis

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday confirmed her participation in the opposition parties' virtual meet convened by the Congress to discuss the COVID-19 situation and the impact of the lockdown.

The Congress has called a meeting of like-minded parties on Friday to discuss the plight of migrant workers and the changes in labour laws.

"Yes, there will be a meeting of opposition parties on Friday evening through videoconferencing to discuss the present COVID situation and the lockdown impact. I will be there," she told reporters here.

Various opposition-ruled states have criticised the Centre over its handling of the migrant crisis.

Rendered jobless due to the coronavirus lockdown, which began on March 25, thousands of migrant workers across the country are undertaking long and arduous journeys to their native places on foot, on bicycles or packed into trucks.

Many of them have been killed in accidents in different parts of the country.

A senior TMC leader said, "The way the Centre had been trying to pin the blame on states for everything is unacceptable. It is due to the Centre's sudden imposition of lockdown, the country is facing this migrant crisis.

"Like-minded opposition parties will meet via video conference on Friday at 3 pm to discuss the next steps that could be taken to deal with the crisis in a better way.