NEW DELHI: The exodus of migrant workers triggered by the coronavirus lockdown continued with over 1.35 lakh stranded people in the country ferried from May 1 in more than 140 special trains, while a fresh row erupted after Karnataka government withdrew its request for such trains apparently due to concerns over shortage of labour.
The opposition attacked the BJP government in Karnataka, accusing it of treating migrant workers worse than “bonded labourers”, while Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa appealed to more than 1 lakh workers, who wished to return to their native states, to stay back as construction and industrial activities have begun.
Yediyurappa announced a Rs 1,610-crore relief package for the benefit of those in distress due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown which included a compensation of Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 each for workers.
The Principal Secretary in the Revenue department, N Manjunatha Prasad, who is the nodal officer for migrants, had on Tuesday cancelled the request for 10 Shramik Special trains, apparently after the builders had apprised Yediyurappa about the shortage of labourers if they were allowed to go back to their home states, said a source privy to the issue.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the state’s decision.
“This is worse than treating them as bonded labour. Does the Indian constitution exist?” he said in a tweet.
A section of migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal had created a ruckus in Bengaluru on May 4, demanding that they be sent home.
Many desperate workers said they are keen on returning due to difficult survival conditions.
They are also concerned about the well-being of their families back home and are apprehensive that they may not be able to return quickly if their kin faced some problems.
The first Shramik Special train from Haryana carrying a total of 1,200 migrant workers left for Katihar in Bihar from Hisar railway station even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar too renewed his appeal to migrant workers engaged in industries not to leave and instead start working in manufacturing units that have been allowed to resume operations. (PTI)
