New Delhi: AAP leader Sanjay Singh said on Wednesday he would use the air tickets he is entitled to as an MP to help stranded migrant workers reach Patna from Delhi by flights.
He would take migrant workers on two flights to Patna on Thursday.
In a tweet, Singh said that he will use 34 flight tickets received by an MP during the year to send migrants to Patna with the help of colleagues and voluntary organisations.
An MP is entitled to 34 business class tickets in domestic flights annually.
The decision was praised by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who said it would be an inspiration for everyone.
सांसद को साल भर में मिलने वाली 34 फ़्लाइट का इस्तेमाल प्रवासी साथियों को पटना पहुँचाने के लिए करूँगा साथियों और स्वयं सेवी संस्थाओं के सहयोग से कल 4.6.2020 को भी 180 व 12 प्रवासी मज़दूरों को दो अलग अलग फ़्लाइट से पटना लेकर जाऊँगा, सभी सहयोगी साथियों का हृदय से आभार।
— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) June 3, 2020
“Everyone will be inspired by this unique initiative of Sanjay ji. Those whom God has given means, it is their responsibility to put their resources in the service of others. Sanjay ji deserves to be congratulated,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.
Responding to the compliment, Singh said these were the ideals with which he entered politics.
“Thank you Arvind Kejriwal ji. These are the ideals with which we entered politics with you and I will try to follow them throughout my life,” he said in a tweet.
The coronavirus-triggered lockdown has had a devastating impact on the economy as well as on the livelihoods of lakhs of migrant workers.
The plight of migrant workers, walking hundreds, sometimes thousands of kilometres, cycling or clambering onto buses and trains, to go from urban centres to their villages has been the focus of concern for almost two months.
The Centre has said around four crore migrant labourers are engaged in various jobs across the country. And so far, 75 lakh of them have returned home in trains and buses since the nationwide lockdown was imposed.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee urges Centre to financially assist each migrant worker with Rs 10,000