Migrants issue: Randeep Surjewala moves Supreme Court, seeks permission to intervene

Surjewala said he wants to apprise the top court of "certain pertinent measures" that may be considered by the Centre in order to alleviate the plight of migrant labourers who are stranded or travelling long distances.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to intervene in the matter of migrant labourers. The top court had on Tuesday taken suo motu cognisance of the issue and sought responses from Centre, states and UT’s .

Surjewala said he wants to apprise the top court of “certain pertinent measures” that may be considered by the Centre in order to alleviate the plight of migrant labourers who are stranded or travelling long distances with great difficulty due to the lockdown.

In his plea, he alleged that due to the “failure” to formulate any joint commission with the opposition parties to address the issue, the Centre is not considering their suggestions or of any MP not belonging to the ruling side.

“Further, due to failure of the Government of India to formulate any joint committee with the opposition political parties for addressing issues of stranded migrant labourers, the Government of India has been unable to consider the measures suggested by the applicant (Surjewala) and the opposition party or any member of Parliament not belonging to the ruling dispensation,” said the plea.

Surjewala, in his plea filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes, has suggested that the Centre immediately set up reception and facilitation centres at district and village level for receiving labourers and facilitating further travel to their native districts or villages.

Surjewala argued that he and his party were not able to raise the issue of migrant labourers in Parliament as no session was held since March.

Taking suo motu cognizance of “problems and miseries of migrant labourers” stranded in different parts of the country and “inadequacies and certain lapses” in efforts by the Centre and States, the Supreme Court Tuesday sought their responses, saying it will hear the matter again Thursday.

The bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S K Kaul and M R Shah said it was “of the view that effective concentrated efforts are required to redeem the situation”.

Pointing out that “the crises of migrant labourers is even continuing today with large sections still stranded on roads, highways, railway stations and State borders,” the judges said “adequate transport arrangement, food and shelters are immediately to be provided by the Centre and State Governments free of cost”.

The bench observed that “newspaper reports and the media reports have been continuously showing the unfortunate and miserable conditions of migrant labourers walking on foot and cycles from long distance.