New Delhi, April 23: Congress lawmaker Rahul Gandhi and her sister and party's General Secteray Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday raised the issue of migrant workers who either lost jobs or are stranded due to the nationwide lockdown. Speaking at the meeting of Congress Working Committee, the apex decision-making body of the party, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka slammed the Centre over the lockdown. Coronavirus Live Tracker in India.

"Issue of migrant workers needs to be addressed as a first priority," Rahul Gandhi was quoted by Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala as saying. "Lockdown is a mere pause button. As a Nation, we need to think of a transition from a lockdown to lockdown only in disease hot zones and commencement of activities in green zones," the Wayand MP added. Priyanka sought more compassionate approach towards coronavirus patients. Sonia Gandhi Accuses BJP of Spreading 'Virus of Hatred & Communal Bias' Amid COVID-19 Pandemic.

"Compassion is the key to fight COVID-19 and not hostility towards the victim of Coronavirus," she said. As times pass, we need to permit migrant workers to return home after due testing and precautions," the Congress leader added. Hundreds of migrant workers are living in temporary shelter homes in different states since the lockdown came into force on March 25 and will be in place until at least May 3.

Randeep Surjewala Tweets Quotes by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka:

Earlier speaking at the CWC meeting, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party alleging that the party is spreading the communal virus in the society when the need is to take coronavirus unitedly. "When we should be tackling the coronavirus unitedly, the BJP continues to spread the virus of communal prejudice and hatred. Grave damage is being done to our social harmony. Our party will have to work hard to repair the damage," she said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2020 01:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).