The Plight of Migrant Workers During Lockdown

While we are busy whining about staying with our families all day, there are millions of people who are wandering on the roads, in the scorching heat, to unite with their loved ones. The plight of migrant workers is unimaginable. “Corona-virus cannot be contained without lockdown”, our PM said a similar version of this, more than a month ago. All of us would agree to this. But what’s harder, and in which our country has failed miserably, is containing the repercussions of a poorly planned lockdown. India is a home to more than 522 million migrant workers, the community which is most affected by the lockdown. 

Gareeb ka koi desh nahi hota

(The poor have no country) These are the hard-hitting words of an Indian migrant worker on the way to his village.

 

Plight of Migrant Workers

Source: AlJazeera

The pain of Indian migrant workers is no less than those suffering from the virus itself. Reports show that more than 1 crore workers have lost employment. More than 90% of workforce in India is informal, that is they work without social and employment security. These poor workers were mercilessly thrown out of their residents by their landlords because they had no money to pay the rent. In their way to reach home, they have experienced ridicule, lathicharge and many more atrocities. Some had to pay prices as high as Rs. 4000 to private truck owners to reach home.

 

“Why are these people gathered in hordes? I understand they want to go to home, but at least follow social distancing”

We all are aware of people making such statements, maybe some reading this are one of them.  When one is left to suffer and needs are fulfilled, but only on the paper, things like the pandemic and social distancing lose their meaning. #MeTooMigrant, the sham of a hashtag which was viral few days ago is just another display of mockery and insensitivity at its best. 

Source:Deccan Herald

 

The 20 lakh Crore Stimulus

Source: The Financial Express

According to the Atmanirbhar package, Migrants will be provided free food supply for 2 months and houses in government complexes with affordable rent will be provided. A good step. But isn’t it also true that we just want migrants working in the factories, because now many businesses have resumed operation? Stimulus also states that employment of workers who have returned home is guaranteed. But everything has a price to pay. Direct cash transfers are 10,000 crores, rest are loans and credits. But in times like these it may end up becoming a burden for those who have lost their jobs, especially the poor.

 

Bringing Migrants Home

The time in which transportation facilities were provided shows the tardiness of the government. In this journey traversed mostly on foot, many were not able to make it to their homes and starved to death. The void of losing a friend, family member, sometimes their only breadwinner, can never be filled. Many states haven’t even provided adequate or any travel measures. The politics of help and support only made the plight of migrant workers worse. Online registration of ‘Shramik Special’ trains is also a troublesome task for these workers, as most of them are illiterate.

The issues concerning the poor are always side-lined. A belief that was proved true by the difference in government’s enthusiasm while mounting Vande Bharat mission and making attempts to bring migrant workers to their homes.

Source: THE WEEK

 

Poor in India is not new to ill-treatment, in fact they are the most aware. The injustice and ignorance, only came to spotlight because of this lockdown.