Will expose 'conspiracy' behind migrants' unrest: Shiv Sena

The Shiv Sena on Thursday said the Maharashtra government will expose the "conspiracy" behind the recent migrants' unrest in Mumbai, and accused the opposition BJP of leaving no chance to disturb the Uddhav Thackeray-led dispensation in the state.

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An editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said outstation trains depart not just from suburban Bandra, but also from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Mumbai Central and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in the metropolis. But, the crowd gathered only at Bandra.

Television news channels completely ignored a similar situation at Surat in Gujarat, it claimed.

"What do you call this? It is a big conspiracy and we will unmask it. The state government will nail attempts to see the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to create a disturbance. We are sad that the opposition should stoop to a new low," the Marathi daily said.

Ignoring lockdown norms, over 1,000 migrant workers who earn daily wages gathered near Bandra station on Tuesday demanding transport arrangements to go back to their native places, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the coronavirus-enforced curbs till May 3.

The Sena said the present crisis has affected a cross-section of society, but daily wagers are the worst hit and the government needs to take a different stand for poor people.

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"The country is in a financial crisis, and running a state is also not easy. Till yesterday, the state looked after these people and now they want to run away. This is 'beimani' (cheating). Those who stay here in critical times are the real sons of the soil," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.

The government should ensure that those who want to run away creating trouble will not return, the Sena said.

It should find out the background of people who gathered at Bandra. These people violated the lockdown rules and tried to damage the state, it claimed.

"What were the police doing during this period? These people didn't have any luggage with them if they were planning to go to their native places," it noted.

Hitting out at the BJP, it alleged the opposition party does not leave a chance to disturb the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government (comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress), and would stoop to any level to do that.

The Sena said there were no rumours about resumption of train services.

"There was a circular in this regard. It was news. How did the Railways take reservations after April 15? When there was no clarity that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will extend the lockdown, it was a crime to take 40 lakh reservations and create confusion," it said.

The Railway Ministry is "also responsible" for what happened in Bandra, the Sena said.

"Will Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis demand Railway Minister Piyush Goyal's resignation?" it asked.