Political activist Tehseen Poonawalla on Monday wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention to "mitigate the migrants' crisis" across the country owing to the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown.
"Your excellency, you are the highest authority in our country. Moreover, you are a human being who has come up in life despite the most severe hardship and impediments. You understand the pain of the poor and the marginalised. You alone, are the saviour our nation looks upto right now," Poonawalla said in the letter.
Poonawalla said he was writing to the President as governments and institutions have failed the migrant workers.
"I write to you with due reluctance but the cause has its merit. Your excellency may be aware that the current COVID-19 pandemic has caused huge global health and humtarian crisis," the letter said.
"The Government of India announced a sudden lockdown on March 24, 2020. As a result, the entire country was shut down. This lockdown has been extended on three occasions since then. This crisis has impacted the lives of millions of fellow citizens who are living in cities and towns, away from their homes in villages," he added.
This comes as the fourth phase of the lockdown, imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, came into effect on Monday with various relaxations.
"Your Excellency, the majority of migrants are from the lowest strata of our society. Most of these 'migrant workers' are from the Dalit, SC, ST and OBS communities. They are walking hundreds and thousands of kilometres, hungry, thirsty, burdened with the vagaries of the summer heat," the political activist said.
Poonawalla said that these migrant workers are citizens of the country "who have contributed their sweat and blood in building our great nation". He highlighted that many of the migrant workers walking hundreds of kilometres to their homes have died in several accidents across the country in their "futile attempt to reach their homes in villages".
I hope and trust, my fervent appeal to you, to ease the migrant crisis in this grave hour, Poonawalla added.
( With inputs from ANI )