I have not come across an administrative callousness of this serious nature in the recent months in India. As the migrant workers were desperate to go back to their home states and no transport was made amiable to them, inspite of their repeated requests for the last forty days, hundreds have been walking hundreds of kilometres to reach their homes. There are reports of some dying on the way due to exhaustion. Some cycled hundreds of kilometres. Some hid in container trucks or parcel lorries. What else they do when they have no place to stay or food or jobs for their livelihood!
The current story of the 16 migrant workers dying with a train running over them was a ghastly incident of terrible pain and shame!
They are daily wage earners, who left their home states looking for jobs to have better prospects. They did not have a means of livelihood in their home states. They are the poor who have no voice or place in the mindset of our political masters.
This was an avoidable loss of human lives. Even now thousands of migrant workers or 'guest workers' as they are referred to in my state, are waiting for transport to go back home! Some state governments do not want to let them go as the industries would come to standstill if they are not available to work after the locked down is due to be lifted after a week from now.
With the locked down announced and train services suspended with only two hours of notice how couple have they gone home earlier! The national governments in other countries prepared the citizens for the locked down and implemented that in stages giving people plenty of time to prepare and adjust to the new situation!
The question that is lingering in our thoughts is that while some local governments are doing all they can to bring back the non-resident Indians from other countries, how is that a similar attention was not given to make passage and transport for the migrant workers to go back to their home states!
Some attribute this as discrimination and inaction!
Many of us have tears in our heart as we think of the plight of the migrant workers.
We have had three migrant workers working with us for about six months and we got to know them as people with a will to live, by working hard and sincerely.
Anna and I want to remember them and share with them our regards and sorrowful thoughts as we witness there suffering!
These flowers are our offering to the families of all migrant workers who live in anxiety and experience the loss of their loved ones!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
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