New Delhi, Apr 18 () Opposition leader Sharad Yadav on Saturday alleged that migrant labourers were facing discrimination as they were not allowed to travel to their native places while the Uttar Pradesh government was permitted to bring back state students studying in Kota in Rajasthan.
Yadav also claimed that "labourers and hardworking people" have more immunity and this, he added, was one of the reasons for the less spread of the coronavirus cases in India compared to other countries.
In a statement, the Loktantrik Janata Dal leader said the central government wasted time initially but instead of accepting its "blunder" it has been telling people that the spread of infection and deaths were far less in India because of the steps it has taken.
One genuine reason is that the government did not carry out enough tests, he alleged.
He further claimed, "And the other (reason) is that our people, especially majdoor brothers, common people who do hard work have more immunity."
People with more immunity don't fall prey to the coronavirus, he said, citing "researchers".
He alleged that politics is being played even in imposing lockdown measures, he said.
"As a matter of fact, there should have been the same treatment for the students and the labourers," the Loktantrik Janata Dal leader said in a statement, adding that the central government should take the responsibility for everyone stuck in different parts of the country.
Even weddings are taking place at some places, he noted and highlighted the plight of migrant labourers who have been stopped in states like Maharashtra and Delhi from trying to reach their native places.
"This is height of discrimination which is intolerable... The most perturbing part is that the central government has brought back people from abroad in flights because they belong to well-off families. Some states are bringing their students and others in luxury buses, and there are labourers who have been forced to proceed to their states on foot while facing police action like baton charge in many places," he said.
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 480 and the number of cases to 14,378 in the country on Saturday, according to the Union Health Ministry. KR SMNSMN