Karnataka government slammed over move to stop special trains for migrant workers

Bengaluru: About 2.4 lakh migrant workers in Karnataka have registered with the government’s Seva Sindhu portal, seeking travel arrangements to return to their homes, even as the state, on Tuesday, decided to cancel special trains to ferry workers.

The data accessed by ET shows that the state has received an overwhelming response from the migrant population who are keen to leave the workplace, specially Bengaluru, due to the uncertainty that Covid-19 and lockdown has brought to their lives. As of Wednesday, the majority of people willing to return home are from Bihar (52,036), followed by Uttar Pradesh (34,508) and Rajasthan (18,320). The state government has sent 9,600 migrants by trains to their home states of Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In contrast, only 38,704 people from Karnataka who are living in other states have registered to return to their home state.

The government’s decision to cancel special trains from Karnataka to other states to ferry migrant workers created unrest in some parts of labour colonies in Bengaluru. Skirmishes broke out between police and disappointed workers near labour camps in Varthur and in Madavara. The workers were visibly disappointed to know that they may not be allowed to go home anytime soon. They have complained of contractors not paying them wages over the last 2-3 months and them being pushed to live in misery.

The CM’s decision to withdraw special train service drew flak from Opposition parties as well as trade unions and organisations. “The decision to go back or to stay back should be with the labourers and not with the government. Labourers are free to choose health or work. Who will take responsibility if something goes wrong? Are we still practising bonded labour?” Opposition leader Siddaramaiah tweeted.

About 522 individuals and organisations wrote an open letter to the CM on Wednesday, condemning the government’s decision to cancel special trains. “The decision has been taken solely to appease the lobby of builders and contractors who claim that return of workers to their home states will adversely impact the construction sector,” the letter said. The state government had held a meeting with members of CREDAI on Tuesday and a letter was written to South Western Railways to stop the train service to other states, a few hours later. All those who have endorsed the letter have demanded that the government revoke the order and stop suppressing the movement of labourers.

Meanwhile, the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) has filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking directions to facilitate the movement of migrant workers if they wish to.