Auraiya Accident: PM Modi Expresses Grief For Workers Killed; Akhilesh Dubs Accident As 'Murder'

Leaders of opposition parties have slammed the government for truck collision in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya that has killed 24 migrant workers. According to Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, these are not just deaths, but murder.

(Photo by Handout / PIB / AFP)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep sadness for the migrant workers who were killed in the truck collision in Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya. In a tweet written in Hindi, he said that he is saddened by the news and expressed his condolences to the family members of the victims. He also wished for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured in the incident. He added that the government has started relief work in the accident spot. Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh has also expressed his concern about the truck collision which has killed 24 migrant workers. In a tweet, the minister has written in Hindi that he feels saddened to learn about the deaths of migrant workers. Like PM Modi he also gave his condolences to the family members of the victims.

उत्तर प्रदेश के औरैया में सड़क दुर्घटना बेहद ही दुखद है। सरकार राहत कार्य में तत्परता से जुटी है। इस हादसे में मारे गए लोगों के परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना प्रकट करता हूं, साथ ही घायलों के जल्द से जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2020

The opposition has slammed the center for the mishap and according to Akhilesh Yadav, it is not just death but murder. In a series of tweets, the Samajwadi Party leader has expressed his grief and also questioned authorities and their followers about a lack of sensitivity toward the migrant worker crisis. He has written in Hindi how could people stay silent after seeing and hearing about the heart-wrenching incident? The party has also declared that it will provide Rs 1 lakh to help the families of those who have died in the accident.

उप्र के औरैया में सड़क हादसे में 24 से भी अधिक ग़रीब प्रवासी मज़दूरों की मौत पर अवर्णनीय दुख. घायलों के लिए दुआएँ. सब कुछ जानकर... सब कुछ देखकर भी... मौन धारण करनेवाले हृदयहीन लोग और उनके समर्थक देखें कब तक इस उपेक्षा को उचित ठहराते हैं. ऐसे हादसे मृत्यु नहीं हत्या हैं.

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 16, 2020

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi has questioned the arrangements made by the government for transporting the migrant workers? In a tweet, she asked why the government is not organizing buses for the workers to reach home safely. She said the situation is akin to government deliberately ignoring despite being witness to all the problems. Rahul Gandhi has also expressed his grief over the incident. He wrote on Twitter "I am saddened  by the news of the death of 24 laborers and the injuries to many people in Auraiya of Uttar Pradesh. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured well soon." The migrant crisis is one of the biggest fallouts of the nationwide lockdown. Since transport was banned during the period, many workers had started walking to their homes. For many, this meant a journey of hundreds of kilometres. According to reports, many workers have died due to exhaustion and road accidents. To mitigate the crisis, the central government has started special train services to take stranded workers to their homes.