Appearing for the petitioner, Prashant Bhushan submitted that more than 4 lakh migrant workers were living in shelter homes. Terming it โa mockery of social distancingโ. He further added that according to their survey reports, more than 40% of these workers did not try to migrate. He said they are living in their own homes in the cities. With no money to buy even one dayโs meal.
Upon hearing Bhushan, the CJI asked that if the migrant workers were being provided meals then why did they need money for it. Thus, Advocate Bhushan replied: โThey donโt just need food in the shelter homes, we need to give them money to send to their families back homeโ. Advocate Bhushan further submitted that the food which was being served at the Shelter homes was โinedibleโ. The CJI replying to Bhushanโs submissions said, โWe are not experts and donโt intend to interfere without knowing what it is all about. We do not plan to supplant the wisdom of the government with our wisdom. We will ask the government to create a helpline for complaints.โ
Bhushan exclaimed that by the next date of hearing many people will die. However, the bench refused to change the next date. It has directed Bhushan to go through the Affidavit filed by the central government in the meantime. The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central government said, “We are looking into what are the complaints received. The call centre is set up. The home minister is monitoring the helpline daily“.
