The Central Govt continued to remain obstinate before the Apex Court in the migrant labourers’ case saying that stray incidents on the difficulties faced by migrant workers should not impact the hearing in the case.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central Govt, was critical of various HCs passing orders in cases concerning migrant labourers.
SG said that “The issue is some high courts are running parallel Govts".
Various HCs including Gujarat, Madras, Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh had passed directions to State Govts & Central Govt after taking note of the pitiable plight of migrant workers.
Tushar Mehta also attacked the lawyers who had written to the Top Court on May 25 criticising the Supreme Court’s silence on the migrant crisis & urging the Court to intervene in the matter.
The letter was signed by leading lawyers such as P Chidambaram, Anand Grover, Indira Jaising, Mohan Katarki, Siddarth Luthra, Santosh Paul, Mahalaxmi Pavani, Kapil Sibal, Chander Uday Singh, Vikas Singh, Prashant Bhushan, Iqbal Chagla, Aspi Chinoy, Mihir Desai, Janak Dwarkadas, Rajani Iyer, Yusuf Muchhala, Rajiv Patil, Navroz Seervai, Gayatri Singh & Sanjay Singhvi.
Mr Mehta said that “All these letters which have been addressed to the court to persuade Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of this issue have been written by people who are earning in crores".
Mehta went on to draw a comparison between the lawyers & South African photojournalist Kevin Carter who was awarded Pulitzer Prize for capturing a vulture eyeing a starving child in famine struck south Sudan in 1993. The child, it was reported, was attempting to reach a United Nations feeding centre.
Carter had left the place after driving away the vulture but did not help the child reach the feeding centre.
“All these people wanting to intervene need to apply the vulture & child story. What have they contributed,” SG demanded.
He told the SC that migrant labourers are taking to the roads on foot because of anxiety due to “local level instigation”.
He said that “They are told ‘walk now, trains won’t run. Lockdown extended".
Mehta told the Top Court that the Centre & States are working above political & party lines so that mitigation measures can be taken to address the problem. Mehta also maintained that reports from all states would be needed to get a comprehensive picture of the situation.
He said, “Let the states reply & then you will have an overall view".
Source Link
Picture Source :