With 70,000 Buses, UP Govt Could Have Prevented Labourers From Walking Home: Akhilesh Yadav

Akhilesh Yadav said that if the state government wanted, it would have sent the migrants home during an early phase of the lockdown and no laborer would have to walk to their homes.

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party President, Akhilesh Yadav spoke to ABP news during the e-Shikar Sammelan on Friday and launched a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath government, accusing them of the death and plight of migrants laborers. Akhilesh Yadav said that if the state government wanted, it would have sent the migrants home during an early phase of the lockdown and no laborer would have to walk to their homes. "With 70,000 buses in the state of Uttar Pradesh, it was possible to send every migrant home when the lockdown started. The state could have prevented the migrants from walking on foot," Akhilesh Yadav He said that the UP government was not able to address the issues of migrants at an early stage and as a result, the migrants are suffering now. He held the government responsible for the plight and exodus of the migrant laborers. Raising questions on bringing back the students from Kota, Rajasthan, and not the migrants, Akhilesh said, " Why did the government not decide to bring migrants home along with students? Why didn't the Yogi government ask for trains earlier? The Samajwadi leader also accused the Yogi government of not providing enough facilities of accommodation and food to the migrant laborers. He also targetted the central government and said that the lockdown was imposed with no proper management and the government instilled fear among the laborers about the pandemic which forced the laborers to walk home. On being asked about the implementation of lockdown in the country, he said, "Earlier the researchers said that imposing the lockdown would help in reducing the number of cases due to Coronavirus but now they are saying that we will have to learn to live with the virus. Lockdown was not successful as there is a continuous spike in the number of cases. There is a huge difference in numbers, from when we were clapping and banging Thalis to the present scenario." When he was asked about allying with Congress to stand against the ruling government, he said that the Samajwadi party will not make an alliance with any big party for the next elections. Though, they are ready for minor adjustments which include the party of his uncle Shivpal Yadav but no other alliances. He said," Samajwadi party would like to maintain social distance from BJP and Congress as both the parties are on the same path." Also watch, Lockdown failed as Corona cases on rise: Akhilesh Yadav | e-Shikhar Sammelan Full Interview