SHILLONG: The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) demanded the withdrawal of the latest order of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stating that the government would facilitate the movement of only those stranded workers who had gone to work or from work place to hometown just before lockdown but could not return to their native place/work place on account of restrictions placed on movement of persons and vehicles as part of lockdown measures.
In a statement, the AITUC said the central order once again reflects that the government is out of tune from the ground realities, “a confused lot, never doing its homework before shooting any orders but is also embedded with insensitive, inhumane approach towards workers’ families who represent majority population of the country”.
“The workers plan for visiting families, not frequently but after several months of work, some of them come for seasonal work and when they do not get any work in villages they come to towns and cities,” the statement said.
The union criticised the government saying it cannot stop the workers from going home. “In this time of crisis the labourers want to be with their families. How can the government stop them for their right to be with their families,” the statement said.
The union said the government’s move reflects of camouflaging of forcing the workers to stay back on the behest of employers’ demands.
It is in a way to keep them in bondage like situations. Moreover no one would be interested in unnecessary travel as there are fears of getting infected from COVID-19 virus.
The AITUC demanded for immediate withdrawal of this order. The union also demanded that travel charges for trains and buses should free as they have already exhausted their cash.
