By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], Mar 28 : A slugfest ensued between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the issue of movement of migrant workers from Delhi to its borders with Uttar Pradesh.
The slugfest came even as the political parties have over the past few weeks sought to present a united face in combating the challenge posed by COVID-19.
Migrant workers reached Anand Vihar bus terminal in large numbers on Saturday evening and the mandated social distancing norms were not being observed. They have also been going to Ghazipur border.
Political fissures erupted as Delhi party unit chief Manoj Tiwari asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take steps that migrant workers return to their houses. AAP leader Raghav Chadha targeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a tweet.
BJP General Secretary (Orgsation) BL Santhosh took a veiled dig at AAP government and asked if something was amiss and if somebody was playing mischief.
"Tamilnadu border is only 36 kms from Bengaluru .. Andhra is less than 100 kms from Chennai. No migrant labourers exodus. Why only from Delhi ..? Something amiss here. Is somebody playing mischief ..? The very purpose of #LockDown is getting defeated. IndiaFightsCorona," he said in tweet.
Tiwari said Delhi government had ferried the people to the border.
"Arvind Kejriwal, You have ferried them in DTC buses till the border. Please ensure that every family is given ration for 15 days and are sent back to their places within the city in buses. Otherwise, it will become a big problem," he said.
Chadha alleged that migrant workers were being beaten up in Uttar Pradesh.
"According to sources, Yogiji is getting migrants going from Delhi to UP beaten up. He is saying why did you go to Delhi and you will not be allowed to go to Delhi again. My appeal to UP government is not to do this and not to increase problems in this difficult hour," he said.
A 21-day lockdown was enforced in the country from Tuesday midnight to contain the spread of coronavirus. Migrant workers have been reaching Delhi's border to go their native places.
( With inputs from ANI )