Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. File PTI Photo

Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has demanded that the Centre must probe the role of the Ministry of Railways for the migrant crisis in the country during the lockdown. Priyanka, in a series of tweets, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help the stranded workers reach their native villages.

Asserting that the workers were the backbone of the country, Priyanka said poor have been left to their fate during lockdown and questioned the government on why railway bookings continued during the 21-day lockdown which was announced on March 24 night by the Prime Minister. PM Modi on April 14, the day the 21-day lockdown ended, extended the restrictions for another 19 days till May 3.

“After all, why does every disaster crush only the poor and the workers? Why are decisions not taken while taking them into consideration. Why are they left at God’s mercy? Why was booking of railway tickets allowed to continue during the lockdown,” she tweeted in Hindi.

“For God’s sake, Narendra Modi ji please help them,” she said.

..खत्म हो रहे हैं, स्टॉक का राशन खत्म हो रहा है, वे असुरक्षित महसूस कर रहे हैं-घर गाँव जाना चाहते हैं। इसकी व्यवस्था होनी चाहिए थी। अभी भी सही प्लानिंग के साथ इनकी मदद की व्यवस्था की जा सकती है। मजदूर इस देश की रीढ़ की हड्डी हैं। @narendramodi जी भगवान के लिए इनकी मदद कीजिए। 2/2 — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) April 15, 2020

The Congress leader said stranded workers are feeling insecure and are running out of cash as they are jobless. “Why were special trains not arranged (to ferry them to their villages)?” she asked.

“They are running out of money and their stock of ration. They are feeling insecure and want to go home in their villages. Arrangements should have been made for them. They can still be helped with proper planning,” she tweeted.

Her remark comes a day after thousands of migrant workers gathered at the Bandra station in Mumbai hoping to get back home. Similar scenes were also witnessed in Surat where migrants squatted on a city road demanding buses to go back home.

Thousands of migrant workers have been stranded in different cities ever since the lockdown was announced. The pan-India restrictions brought economic activities to a grinding halt. Rail, road and air traffic have also been suspended by the government to prevent mass movement.