Congress releases 15-min clip of Rahul Gandhi's interaction with migrant labourers, seeks grant of Rs 7,500 each for 13-cr needy families

Congress released a documentary on Saturday, highlighting the plight of migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country amid the lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak. In an almost 16-minute documentary, party leader Rahul Gandhi is seen interacting with migrant workers walking from Haryana’s Ambala till their village near Jhansi. He also demanded the government gives Rs 7,500 to the 13 crore needy families through direct cash transfer immediately. Talking about the problems they have been facing, the migrant workers tell Rahul in the video that both police and the people threatened to beat them up if they stepped out of their houses in Haryana. The also lamented running out of food and money in the cities, adding that they would be happy to return home and live on a smaller income. They also alleged that they had not received any money from the Centre and that they were told to pay around Rs 3,000 for a train ticket from Haryana. Some of the labourers also said that they will not return to cities if the “Modi government returns to power”.

Migrant workers have been walking for hundreds of kilometers and travelling in cramped tempos and trucks to their villages even as they run out of jobs in cities. Last week, Gandhi was seen interacting with labourers under the Sukhdev Vihar flyover in Delhi. In the documentary, Gandhi says that of all the people that coronavirus has impacted, it has affected the migrant labourers the most. He is also seen assuring the migrants of help to ensure their return to native places. At the end of the video, the workers can be seen thanking Gandhi for his help after reaching their homes. At the end of the documentary, Gandhi’s voiceover is heard saying, “My migrant labourer brothers and sisters, you are the strength of this country. You take the entire burden of this country on your shoulders. The whole country wants justice for you. It is everyone’’s responsibility to strengthen the power of this country.” With inputs from PTI