By Anurjay Dhal
RAJKANIKA/KENDRAPARA (ODISHA): From Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to Union-PNG Steel Minister Dharmendra to BJP National VP-Spokespersons Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, all played their part with 3 private Luxury Buses carrying more than 150 migrant labourers from Odisha left Surat in Gujarat on Monday has brought also much delight to other stranded Odia workers across the Country and raising a ray of hope for them for ‘Home Coming’ once the nationwide lockdown put in place for COVID-19 outbreak, withdrawn on May 3.
The journey started from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s home turf of Gujarat’s Surat after Naveen-Dharmendra belies Political Grapevines in Odisha and sparking a fresh speculation of understanding between the BJD and BJP. Naveen Patnaik had himself heaped all praise on Dharmendra for safe return of Odias from Gujarat.
Sources said following request made by Odisha Chief Minister Patnaik, Union-PNG Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani with advice of Union Home Minister Amit Shah , has allowed people to return home at their own expense.
“The Surat district collectorate on Monday gave permission to three private luxury buses to take around 150 migrant workers to their respective places in Odisha,” resident additional collector S.D. Vasava told news agency, PTI. They are expected to reach Odisha in two days, officials said.
Hundreds of workers from Odisha stranded in Surat in the lockdown have held several street protests, demanding to be allowed to go home. On Sunday, Navsari MP C.R. Patil had said Amit Shah had asked the state to permit people to go at their own expense. “The state government then informed the Surat collector to allow such travel,” Patil said.“Many labourers are stuck in Surat and there is little chance that industries will reopen in the near future,” he added.
“As many as 4.86 lakh people keen to return to Odisha have registered on the portal launched by the State government within last 48 hours.The Odisha government launched the portal, www.covid19.odisha.gov.in for registration of names of persons wishing to return to Odisha after the lockdown ends. Odisha so far reported 118 Positive cases out of which 37 have been cured while 1 died so far. The State Government has already deputed 22 senior IAS officers to monitor the post lockdown period,” State Health and Family Welfare Department officials told over phone from Bhubaneswar, 120 km from here.
