Ease Lockdown, States Will Bring Stranded People Back, Says Nitish Kumar

Coronavirus Lockdown: Nitish Kumar had hit out at the "injustice" of movement during the lockdown

Cornered by neighbours Uttar Pradesh, which yesterday said it would arrange for the return of students and migrant workers from the state left stranded in others, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today indicated he is open to a similar exercise, providing the Union Home Ministry relaxed restrictions on inter-state movement of people and vehicles. 

Nitish Kumar's U-turn - earlier this month the Bihar Chief Minister lashed out at the "injustice" of the UP government sending buses to Rajasthan's Kota to pick up stranded students - comes as the Patna High Court hears a plea asking the state to bring back students stuck in other parts of the country.

Since the centre, which had imposed restrictions on movement of people and vehicles as per the nationwide lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, has been made a party in the Patna High Court matter, top officials of the Bihar government have informed the Home Ministry that unless these rules are relaxed students and migrants cannot be brought back.

The officials further informed the Home Ministry that should the order be relaxed it will pave the way for all states and union territories to bring back students, migrants and others stranded across the country.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also raised this issue, questioning the premise of "one nation, two rules", referring to UP being allowed to transport people during the lockdown.

On Saturday evening Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted urging the centre to devise a strategy for the "smooth movement of migrant workers" across the country.

Since Day one I have been saying a strategy must be devised for a smooth movement of migrant workers stranded across the country, but unfortunately there is no clarity on the same.
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— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 25, 2020

On Friday UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his government would bring back migrants in phases, once it was confirmed they had served the required 14-day quarantine period where they had been stuck.

The Yogi Adityanath government had earlier already sent 1,000 buses to bring back around four lakh migrants and around 300 buses to bring back students from Rajasthan's Kota - a popular coaching hub for competitive exams.

Nitish Kumar, a key ally of the BJP that is in power at the centre and in UP, had been critical about both moves, leading to criticism from Prashant Kishor, his former No. 2, and opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Speaking to NDTV last month the Bihar Chief Minister warned the move by the Yogi Adityanath government would defeat the purpose of the lockdown - an exercise that the centre has credited with helping in contain the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The Janata Dal (United) chief was also one of three chief ministers - the others were Bengal's Mamata Banerjee and Odisha's Naveen Patnaik, to write to counterparts last month asking for migrants from their states to be looked after by states in which they were stranded.

The states would be compensated, the three chief ministers added.

Bihar has reported 228 COVID-19 cases and two deaths, so far. By comparison UP has 1,778 cases and 26 deaths. Across the country nearly 25,000 cases and 779 deaths have been detected.