Sonia Gandhi targets Narendra Modi government over migrants, demands Centre give them Rs 7,500 for next six months

New Delhi: Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday targeted the Narendra Modi government for not addressing the issues concerning the migrant workers and demanded that the Centre should provide Rs 7,500 to every needy of the country for next six months.

Sonia Gandhi, while addressing the Congress party’s ‘Speak Up` campaign, said, "In the last two months the lockdown to combat the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), has created a huge problem of economic crisis."

"For the first time after independence, people have seen the pain and plight of the migrant workers travelling back bare foot. Their pain and plight was heard by the entire nation but not by the government," she said.

LIVE: कांग्रेस अध्यक्षा श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी का देशवासियों और भाजपा सरकार को संदेश #SpeakUpIndia https://t.co/pKbOaLtvYX — Congress (@INCIndia) May 28, 2020

It may be noted that the Congress party has launched the ‘Speak UP’ campaign to take the voice of poor, migrants, small businesses and the middle class affected by the coronavirus lockdown to the central government

The Congress chief further said that crores of jobs have been lost, many factories shut, farmers facing issues in selling crops but the government could not assess it.

Sonia Gandhi, who is also the party’s Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli, said, "Since day one, all Congress leaders, economists and people from the civil society urged the government that it is time to heal the wounds of the people. But the government is not ready to understand or help the people." she said.

"Thus, Congress has decided to raise the voice of the people. We request the central government to give relief to the needy people and provide every family Rs 7,500 for six months. And instantly provide Rs 10,000 into their bank accounts," Sonia Gandhi said.

The Congress party also released a video message by Sonia Gandhi to the people of India during which spoke of the plight of the migrant workers and urged the government to arrange for the free and safe travel for the stranded migrants and also arrange for their employment.

कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्रीमती सोनिया गाँधी का सन्देश#SpeakUpIndia pic.twitter.com/cvUDJoezrj

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 28, 2020

"Increase employment days to 200 under MGNREGA so that they can get jobs in their villages," she said, adding that the government also needs to help the small and medium scale industries in these tough times so that crores of jobs are saved.

She further said that through social media, the Congress leaders, workers, activists are raising this demand once again. She also urged the people to participate in the campaign and raise the issues being faced by the people.