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Updated: May 8, 2020 10:52:28 am
Thousands of migrants from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Manipur, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal were reportedly left in the lurch by the decision.
The Karnataka government has done well to reverse its May 5 order, canceling trains that would have transported migrants back to their home states. Thousands of migrants from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Manipur, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal were reportedly left in the lurch by the decision. In a series of tweets, Karnataka Prime Minister B. S Yediyurappa cited economic reasons for removing the trains: “Red zones, business, construction work and industrial activities must resume. In this context. the unnecessary travel of migrant workers must be controlled. ” The decision rightly sparked widespread outrage and the state government was called in to deny migrants, already taken to the wall, the right to choose.
Pandemics are cruel not only because of the cost they have on people’s health but also because of the social and economic disturbances they cause, the anxieties they generate. The urgency of liquidity-strapped states, and the industry, for workers to return to factory floors and construction sites cannot be overstated. However, it is also evident that the relaxation of the confinement has not allayed the fears of the workers in most places, including in Karnataka. Migrant workers, who live precariously even at best, have concerns about getting a job on a sustained basis even after economic activities resume, and, without safety nets, many prefer to return home. An empathetic attitude towards such anxieties and respect for the dignity and safety of workers should inform all plans to resume industrial activities after closure. States, and industry, could pull out a sheet from the Punjab book, where many seats on trains carrying migrants are empty, apparently because efforts to reach and persuade migrants by the government and the owners of the factories have been successful. The fact that various industrial units have established safeguards for employees who have returned to work after the closure relaxation may also have contributed to this development.
To her credit, Karnataka has put in place a post-closure recovery roadmap. An economic package, announced on Wednesday, recognizes the importance of the MSME sector, farmers and horticulturists, and workers in the informal sector. Provides financial assistance to freelancers such as weavers, taxi drivers and taxi drivers, and barbers. The Karnataka government has also established a board to address issues related to wages and downsizing, many of whom are migrants. However, if, despite all the incentives, migrants still want to return home, the state and industry must respect their choice.
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