Mumbai, April 14: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday called Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and expressed his concern over gathering in Mumbai's Bandra area. The Home Minister stressed that such events weaken India's fight against the novel coronavirus and administration needs to stay vigilant to avoid such incidents. Shah also offered his full support to Maharashtra government. Migrant Workers Protest In Bandra, Mumbai, Demand They Be Allowed To Travel To Their Native States as COVID-19 Lockdown Gets Extended, Watch Video.
Hundreds of migrants workers in Bandra took to streets asking officials to let them go back to their native villages. The massive gathering took place near Bandra bus stand and railway station. The crowd was dispersed after police personnel and local leaders intervened. The migrants were unhappy due to extension of lockdown. Aaditya Thackeray Lashes Out at Centre After Stranded Migrant Workers Protest in Bandra And Surat, Seeks Road Map to Send Them Back to Their Native Places.
ANI Tweet:
HM Amit Shah called Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray & expressed concern over the Bandra gathering. HM stressed that such events weaken India’s fight against #Coronavirus and admn needs to stay vigilant to avoid such incidents. He also offered his full support to Maharashtra Govt. pic.twitter.com/N6MhOAHkUr
— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2020
"Today at 4 pm, around 1500 people gathered at Bandra railway station premises. Many of them were migrant labourers. They were unhappy with the extension of the lockdown and wanted to go back to their homes. They had placed their demand before administration," said Mumbai police PRO DCP Pranaya Ashok.
"Local Police officials went to the spot, talked to them and tried to convince them. During this, a section of the crowd turned violent so light force had to be used to bring them under control. The crowd was dispersed. Police are deployed there. The situation is normal and peaceful," he added.
Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray also lashed out at the centre and said that the incident was a result of PM Modi government's improper planning. "The current situation at Bandra Station, now dispersed or even the rioting in Surat is a result of the Union Govt not being able to take a call on arranging a way back home for migrant labour. They don’t want food or shelter, they want to go back home," he tweeted.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 14, 2020 08:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).