PM Modi's 'migrant' remark kicks off storm in Maharashtra

Migrant workers gather outside LTT to take a train back to their hometown in Bihar, in May 2020. Pic/Sameer Markande

The Congress has decided to demonstrate outside BJP offices on Wednesday, demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the grand old party of super-spreading the novel Coronavirus by helping the migrants in Maharashtra return to their home states by trains.

Congress's state unit chief Nana Patole said the party workers will demonstrate in front of the BJP offices across Maharashtra under the ‘Maafi Mango PM Modi' programme. "What PM Modi has said in Parliament is an insult to Maharashtra," he said, asking the BJP to apply a similar yardstick to the ‘Namaste Trump' event that was held in Gujarat during the Covid-19 outbreak.

He said the PM was covering up his failures in mitigating the pandemic. "In a parliamentary practice, one has to answer the questions the Opposition asks, and not make fun of the Opposition. The government should tell what good it has done. I'm sure the people will show the PM his place in 2024, and make Rahul Gandhi the country's leader," he said at a press conference at the party office in Mumbai.

Patole appealed to the MVA partners, who have strongly protested against the PM's remark on Maharashtra, to join the agitation. The Maharashtra BJP told the Congress and the MVA to stay away from provoking and confronting its cadre, failing which it assured a fitting response.

Politics in election time: Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said it was wrong to single out Maharashtra which has done a good job of handling the pandemic. "In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has appreciated the Dharavi model [of battling Covid-19]. The Supreme Court had advised other states to follow Maharashtra. All this taken into consideration, blaming Mumbai, Pune and rest of the state for spreading the virus is an insult to the people and the government they have elected, the corona warrior doctors and paramedics, " he added.

Raut said the blame has been wrongly shifted to Maharashtra in view of the elections in five states. "Who tried to show that the state government couldn't shift the migrants? Who felicitated Sonu Sood for facilitating the travel that the state couldn't? We had asked them to not rush into things. I think the CM of Maharashtra and the Congress leaders in the government should officially clarify on the PM's remarks."

‘Why create bad blood'

In Delhi, NCP's Supriya Sule produced several documents to prove that it was the Centre that started special trains, of which most originated from Gujarat, to shift the migrants to their native states. "Tujhse naraz nahi, hairan hun mai [I'm not upset, but surprised at you]," she said, reacting to the PM's remark.

"Once elected, the PM doesn't belong to any party, but represents the entire nation. It is sad that efforts are being made to create disenchantment between states by making such remarks," she said, adding that Maharashtra shared a good relation with Uttar Pradesh, and hence there should be no attempt to create bad blood between them.

Praise for Pawar

Notwithstanding Sule's criticism, Modi heaped praises on NCP boss Sharad Pawar in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. He asked the leaders [the Congress in particular] to learn from Pawar's positive politics. He said Pawar was travelling throughout Maharashtra during the pandemic to help the people. Modi said he was thankful to Pawar, who along with the TMC leaders attended a pandemic-related all-party meeting when the entire Opposition, including the Congress, had boycotted it.

Cong instigated migrants: BJP

BJP legislator Ashish Shelar held the Congress responsible for spreading rumours and instigating the migrant labourers who finally took to the streets. "We have seen it at the Bandra station. Were the MVA parties acting as Chinese agents by acting as super spreaders? Why did the MVA start its illegal shifting much before the Centre provided trains?" asked Shelar. He said the Congress was free to hold the agitation on Wednesday, but warned that the BJP's rank and file will respond in the same vein if provoked.

He said Sule was spreading disinformation. "She should be surprised to know that 60,000 people were denied financial assistance by the MVA government. Will she ask the state government why did the MVA fail in holding the migrants back, assuring that they would be provided with the essentials? Instead, the migrants were fooled and forced to face trouble on their way home," he added.