Talk To Leaders Who Aren't Letting Migrants Go Home: Sharad Pawar To PM

Mr Thackeray has assured Mr Pawar of making arrangements for the transportation of workers. (File)

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to talk to chief ministers of those states who are not allowing migrant workers to come back home.

Mr Pawar spoke over phone to Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on the issue of repatriation of migrant workers to their home states during the coronavirus-induced lokdown period.

"I humbly request our @PMOIndia Shri. Narendra Modi ji to intervene in this matter by talking to the CMs of the respective states who are not allowing these people to come back home," the NCP chief tweeted.

I humbly request our @PMOIndia Shri. Narendra Modi ji to intervene in this matter by talking to the CMs of the respective states who are not allowing these people to come back home.

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) May 9, 2020

Though he did not name any specific state, the NCP had recently accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka of not wanting to take back labourers hailing from the two states.

"Had a telephonic conversation with Shri @OfficeofUT - Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Shri @PiyushGoyal - the Union Railway Minister regarding the issue of migrant workers," Mr Pawar tweeted.

Had a telephonic conversation with Shri @OfficeofUT - Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Shri @PiyushGoyal - the Union Railway Minister regarding the issue of migrant workers.

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) May 9, 2020

He said Thackeray has assured him of making arrangements for the transportation of workers desirous of returning to their home states.

"State Transport buses will be used for their travel," Mr Pawar added.

On his part, Mr Goyal also assured of making arrangements for the journeys of the workers by trains, Mr Pawar said.

On Friday, 16 migrant workers sleeping on railway tracks in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra were mowed down by a goods train.

They were part of a group of workers who were walking from Jalna to Bhusawal from where they were hoping to board trains for their onward journey to Madhya Pradesh.

Separately, hundreds of workers have undertaken journey on foot to their home states in view of the loss of livelihood amidst the lockdown.