NEW DELHI: A day after the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the migrant workers’ crisis amid the nationwide lockdown, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday approached the court seeking to intervene in the case. He said the Centre had failed to formulate any joint panel with the Opposition for addressing the issue.
On Tuesday, the apex court observed that there had been lapses on the part of the central and state governments in providing the migrants with adequate relief.A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M R Shah issued notice to the Centre and all states and Union Territories in this regard.Surjewala, in his plea, submitted that he would like to assist by suggesting pertinent measures to tackle the problems and misery of the migrant labourers stranded across the country amid the crisis.
He also alleged that the government has not been taking into considering suggestions that came from the outside ruling side. The Congress leader added that the Centre should to work local authorities, including those in districts and panchayats, to create lists identifying stranded workers.
Surjewala’s intervention plea suggested that the Centre should immediately set up reception and facilitation centres at district and village levels for migrant labourers. It should then formulate a nationwide action plan to address the issues, he said.
He also suggested that the Centre should draw up a plan to provide food, medicine and shelter to the migrant labourers. The case will be heard on Thursday and the solicitor general will apprise the court of the steps taken by the Centre.