BJP asks leaders not to encourage migration of workers from urban, industrial centres to rural areas

As senior BJP leaders engage with their party leaders via video conferencing on matters of urgency in their respective constituencies, issue of migrant labourers wanting to leave for their villages dominates these discussions.

According to sources, there is a major concern about workers returning to their villages and party wants its leadership not to encourage workers to leave cities they work in.

"It can have severe consequences on the economy. The government is opening sectors in the economy in a graded manner. There is also a fear that these workers might not return soon causing a dearth of labour in urban and industrial belts," said a source in the party.

Top BJP leadership wants its leaders to discourage the mass movement of migrant labourers towards villages. Though state leadership was of the view that migrant workers and students stranded in various parts of the country should be allowed to go to their native states.

A senior leader of BJP said that while the central party leadership heard the state leadership patiently, it has been communicated to them to not encourage labourers to move out from their workplaces.

"There are two reasons for suggesting to not promote the sentiments of migration to villages. First is related to the economy. It is understood that those workers going to villages will not return to cities their workplaces for several months. This will not be good for the economy. Secondly, such mass movement also underlines the looming fear of COVID-19 spread in rural areas despite taking care of social distancing," added the source.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on May 1 had issued an order to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from May 4 with some relaxations.

The MHA had also allowed the movement of migrant workers, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places by special trains.

The Ministry of Railways has been running 'Shramik special trains,' to ensure smooth movement of migrant labourers and others to their respective native places. 

-ANI

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