Buses With Students From Rajasthan Return To UP, Evacuees To Be Screened

Around 100 buses carrying students stranded in Rajasthan's Kota returned to Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi on Saturday amid the nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The Yogi Adityanath government had sent 200 buses from Agra and another 100 from Jhansi on Friday to Kota where thousands of students from across the country preparing for competitive exams have been stranded by the COVID-19 lockdown. The town has reported six coronavirus cases.

All the students who have returned to Uttar Pradesh will be screened before they are sent to their hometowns.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a key BJP ally, was vocal about his objection to the move by the Yogi Adityanath government, which he said would defeat the purpose of the lockdown at a time social distancing is critical and any gathering could exacerbate the contagion. Besides, the Bihar government believes, it makes it look like states are facilitating students yet "making excuses" when it comes to migrants unable to return to their home states.

"The way special buses are being sent to ferry students from Kota, it is injustice with the principle of the lockdown," Mr Kumar told NDTV on Friday.

The Nitish Kumar government wrote to the central home ministry earlier this week when a group of 300 students from Kota arrived in Patna, mostly in taxis, armed with permission to travel.

Sources in the UP government said it is incorrect to say they did not send buses for migrant workers. "We did send buses earlier and brought back at least four lakh migrant workers. The Kota situation is a one-off. The students live in hostels and they are shut. Even exams have been postponed . So the best way forward was to get them back home and that is why we took the decision," government sources told NDTV.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said like UP, other states could also make arrangements to bring back their students.

When asked about stranded migrant workers, Pratibha, who was preparing for the NEET medical entrance exam in Kota and returned to UP, said, "If the government has arranged buses for students, something should be done for migrant workers too because they are stuck and have no other means of livelihood."