FM calls Rahul Gandhi's meeting with migrants a 'dramabaazi', Congress hits back

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday termed the meeting of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with the migrants in Delhi a "dramabaazi" and said the Congress should "be more responsible" and work together with the Centre in the current scenario.

Sitharaman, during her press conference, said that the Congress is playing politics over the migrants issue and Sonia Gandhi should have asked her chief ministers to help the migrants and Rahul Gandhi should have walked with them when he met migrants and arranged for their transportation.

Sitharaman also said that if the Congress is feeling so much sad about the picture, "why the state government ruled by Congress or their allies is not demanding more trains for the migrants to ensure all reach home."

Instead of doing that, she added, "They are wasting time in talking to the migrants who are headed home. Better would have been if they carried their children and suitcases instead of just talking," referring to Rahul Gandhi's meeting to the migrants.

The Finance Minister said she is very sad to say, but she is "now using their words and call them "dramabazi". What happened on Saturday was not dramabazi? They wasted the time of the migrants in just talking," she added.

Saying that it is time to join hands, Sitharaman added that she is "requesting the Congress to work together in this situation. It feels sad to see the picture of the migrants."

"Let us speak responsibly, let us deal with our migrants responsibly," Sitharaman urged Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said, "We expect certain degree of seriousness and gravitas when the Finance Minister is addressing a press conference."

"The statement of the Nirmala Sitharaman is frivolous and the Congress president did not need to learn from the finance minister," added Sharma.

He said Congress has stood by the migrants in solidarity as they are citizens of the country and with no food, shelter and money where will the migrants go? The government should apologize to them as their fundamental rights have been violated, Sharma said.

On the issue of Rahul Gandhi meeting migrants in Delhi, Anand Sharma said, "Rahul has right to show his sensitivity. I can understand her frustration, first she damaged the economy, and now...."

Finance minister Sitharaman had said that Rahul Gandhi should have picked the belongings of the migrants and walked with them.

Sharma hit back and said, "Did Government of India take and look to their pains who are walking hundreds of kilometres. One way preaching is going on. The government is taking decisions arbitrarily without consulting the opposition on the issue of national security of defence and space."

Sitharaman, while addressing the media, also said that whatever one can do in the current coronavirus crisis is less.

"Not just me, but anyone doing anything is less. I don't want to be involved in any discussion if I have done less or more. I don't see anything can be adequate. No matter how much you do, it will not be enough (in the current situation)," she said in Hindi.

The Finance Minister also said that many solutions can be offered and the Central government has taken on board all the suggestions that have come.

"We worked on something which we think will have an impact."

Saying that nothing will be enough in the situation, she said that is why she believes that these issues should not be politicised.

"We should have this sympathy in our hearts that how we all can work together to get over this situation. We should plan to deal with the situation with dignity and not indulge in fights," she said without taking names.

The Finance Minister also said that the Prime Minister first urged all to stay where they are and asked the states to arrange their food and accommodation.

"All who could help in this provided help. Later, a time came when the Centre and the states decided that the migrants should be allowed to move and so trains were being arranged. If migrants are ready to go, they are given food in trains. It feels sad to see that the migrants are walking on roads to their homes."

The remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi on Saturday evening went to meet migrant workers camped out near a flyover in Delhi's southeast.