New Delhi: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday (April 24) said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to take into account the condition of migrant labourers while announcing the countrywide lockdown due to coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.
Owaisi took a dig on the recent comment made by Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on the Tablighi Jamaat attendees, and asked PM Modi, "You said that coronavirus does not target a particular community but didn`t a member of your Cabinet say Talibani Jamaat instead of Tablighi Jamaat."
On the recent Palghar lynching incident in Maharashtra, the AIMIM chief said, "I was shocked to see a BJP member, on an international platform, saying that Muslims were behind the lynching incident. This surprised me and later it was revealed to everyone that the attackers were not Muslims."
Owaisi said if an action was taken in cases of lynching of Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan, Aleemuddin Ansari and Tabrez, Palghar would not have happened.
The AIMIM chief said that it was unfortunate that hatred was being spread against Muslims in the country, adding "You can make a drug for virus but not for hatred. This hatred will weaken the country."
Owaisi said PM Modi did not think about the migrant labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand who are working in urban cities. Citing an example of the 12-year-old girl who died of exertion as she exhausted after walking over 100 km from Telangana to Chattisgarh, he said, "Migrant labourers are suffering and some are even resorting to committing suicide as the lockdown has scared them and they are unable to reach their homes."
Most of these migrant labourers do not have a bank account nor a ration card, hence, "the government should give them money based on their Aadhar card number," said Owaisi, adding that surplus rice in godowns should be distributed to the needy people instead of using it to make sanitisers as proposed by the Food Corporation of India.
The AIMIM chief further said that Rs 30,000 crore Central Vista project should be stopped and the money should be diverted to help the needy people.
He also demanded that after lifting of total lockdown some economic activity should be allowed and transport arrangements should be made for migrant workers who want to go home. Further, he said, the government may continue to keep places of worship, cinema halls shut and continue the ban on the public gatherings after lifting of the lockdown.
Addressing Muslims on the eve of Ramadan, Owaisi asked them to offer prayers during the holy month at home in view of the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, urging them to avoid congregational prayers even at homes.
Meanwhile, the Hyderabad MP today distributed Personal Protection Equipment (PPE Kits) among Asha, Anganwadi workers and police personnel. He distributed 178 PPE kits and 2,640 mini kits among Asha and Anganwadi workers of Hyderabad Parliamentary constituency, Nampally Assembly constituency and Bholakpur, Shaikpet and Erragadda municipal wards.
Owaisi handed over the kits to Greater Hyderabad Mayor Bonthu Rammohan at a programme held at Shastripuram. It was also attended by Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Arvind Kumar, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner Lokesh Kumar and other officials.
He also gave over 350 PPE kits to Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar for distribution among the police personnel working at outposts around Hyderabad. Each PPE kit comprised one N95 mask, 10 triple layer masks, 10 pair gloves (latex), one 200 ml bottle sanitizer and PPE suit. Each mini had one N95 mask, 10 triple layer masks, 10 pair gloves (latex) and one 200 ml bottle sanitizer.
