Let us go home or let us die: Migrant workers' desperate plea to state and central governments

Let us go home or let us die: Migrant workers' desperate plea to state and central governments

‘It is not we who brought the virus in India but still we are being treated as if we are some virus,’ migrant workers blame police and govt for apathy towards their problems

Narsi BenwalUpdated: Sunday, May 31, 2020, 07:41 AM IST
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85-year-old Abdul Hakim, who worked at a bag manufacturing unit in Madanpura, is compelled to sleep on the roads near LTT with limited food and water. | BL Soni

"Either let me go or let me die," were the words of Abdul Hakim, an octogenarian, who was among the hundreds of migrant workers taking shed under the Santacruz-Chembur-Link-Road (SCLR) bridge as they were disallowed from boarding special Shramik trains that left from Lokmaniya Tilak Terminus (LTT) on Saturday. These workers had thronged the LTT station to board trains and go back to their home towns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar but were disallowed to board the trains.

"This is the third day that I am sitting here under this bridge but still there has been no change in our conditions. I am 85 years old and compelled to sleep on the roads, with limited food and water," said Hakim, who worked at a bag manufacturing unit in Madanpura, Mumbai.

According to Hakim, he cannot go back to his unit as the owners there too are facing the lockdown heat. "Our boss too is experiencing shortage of money. He fed us for two months but now his finances have dried up. Thus, we are left with no option than to go back. For this, we had filled the mandatory applications in three separate police stations, in April mid but still there has been no response from the police authorities," a visibly exhausted Hakim, said, while sitting under the scorching sun.

These migrants cannot go back to their units and return the next day to LTT, as the journey from Madanpura or Bhendi Bazaar has making a big hole in their pockets. "Firstly, cabs are not available easily. And the ones who get ready to ferry us, charge Rs 300 per person and only allows two of us in one cab. On Monday, we spent Rs 600 (per person) to come here and go back to our units. And again Rs 300 on the next day to come down here," pointed out Mohammed Irfan (22), who is a relative of Hakim.

"Thus, we have no other option but to stay put here under this bridge from last three to four days. We are getting food only once a day that too after some NGOs visit here and also, the water given to us, is limited," Irfan added.

Notably, its not as if only workers of local manufacturing units are left in lurch but there are some who are working for some huge projects such as the Mumbai Metro III line. "I worked for Metro III line, in the wiring department. But since the lockdown, I don't have much money with me and am scared to note the rising Covid cases in Mumbai. Thus, I want to go home but couldn't board a train and from last four days, I am living on the streets," said Mohammed Irshad (42).

Most of these stranded workers have blamed the police for not processing their permission applications in time. It would not be out of place that majority of the stranded workers are left in lurch because they have no idea about the status of their applications.

"I had filled in the form, at least a month ago. But till now haven't received any response from the police. I think the police is picking and choosing people to be sent back. They seem to be blind to see our plight here and the stress our families are undergoing back at our home," said Raghavendra Singh, who works for an elevator manufacturing firm.

These workers are the worst hit by the lockdown as they have to struggle right from leaving their homes here in Maharashtra. "I live in Uran and the cops there refuse to allow me and the other three workers along with me. He said he would approve the application only after I have a group of 30. Thus, I had to leave from there without informing the cops. I requested a dumper driver to drop me here but still all efforts have been in vain," said Sahab Singh (42).

Junaid Khan, who worked in a local clothes shop at Madanpura, says the government has failed miserably in addressing their issue.

"It is not we who brought in the virus in India but still we are being treated as if we are some virus. There is no facility for even sitting at a place. If we try to sit near the terminus, the cops thrash us and then we have no choice but to sit under the open skies. They know that there are many women and children along with us, some women are even pregnant but still no one has come out to help us even with food, water or shelter," Khan said.

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