To recap:
Millions of workers have been stranded for 45 days – without wages and food – after the government announced an abrupt lockdown.
scroll.in/article/958838…
scroll.in/latest/959271/…
Millions of workers have been stranded for 45 days – without wages and food – after the government announced an abrupt lockdown.
scroll.in/article/958838…
scroll.in/latest/959271/…
The distress is so acute, we saw a 2 km-long food queue in the national capital.
No wonder lakhs of workers tried to walk and cycle home.
But the police intercepted many and herded them into shelters where the conditions were jail-like.
(Photo by @IndianExpress)
indianexpress.com/article/india/…
scroll.in/article/958849…
But the police intercepted many and herded them into shelters where the conditions were jail-like.
(Photo by @IndianExpress)
indianexpress.com/article/india/…
scroll.in/article/958849…
Others managed to escape detention. But died of dehydration and hunger on the way – including an 12-year-old child.
That did not stop the flow – just days ago, I met an 18-year-old who was cycling nearly 600 km on biscuits and namkeen.
scroll.in/article/960881…
scroll.in/article/960881…
Finally, last week, the government said it would arrange trains and buses to take migrant workers home. But decided to charge them the ticket fare – knowing well they hadn't earned anything for weeks!
After public outrage, the Centre tried to save face by saying it was paying 85% of the fare.
This was a jumla. A shocking instance of lies.
Workers are paying the full fare — actually higher than normal fare.
scroll.in/article/961046…
This was a jumla. A shocking instance of lies.
Workers are paying the full fare — actually higher than normal fare.
scroll.in/article/961046…
If this wasn't cruel enough, look at the loops migrants need to jump through.
In Mumbai, they were asked to arrange a medical certificate, submit it to the police station, and then told they need to arrange buses on their own!
scroll.in/article/961041…
In Mumbai, they were asked to arrange a medical certificate, submit it to the police station, and then told they need to arrange buses on their own!
scroll.in/article/961041…
Look at the queues in city after city of migrants lining up to get medical certificates – which they have to most often pay for.
After all this, guess what?
Karnataka has asked the Centre to stop trains for migrants stranded in the state – why?
Because the builders in the city want captive workers.
thequint.com/news/india/aft…
Karnataka has asked the Centre to stop trains for migrants stranded in the state – why?
Because the builders in the city want captive workers.
thequint.com/news/india/aft…
We can all blame governments for this.
But such unimaginable cruelty wouldn’t have been possible without our shameful acquiescence.
Imagine the tweet storms, the outrage, the hashtags, if even a fraction of this was happening to affluent Indians.
But such unimaginable cruelty wouldn’t have been possible without our shameful acquiescence.
Imagine the tweet storms, the outrage, the hashtags, if even a fraction of this was happening to affluent Indians.
So many of us are migrant workers — but we are privileged migrant workers who live off the labour of those far more hardworking than us.
They run our cities.
We don’t deserve them.
We have done nothing to stand up for them.
They run our cities.
We don’t deserve them.
We have done nothing to stand up for them.
The lack of empathy we’re seeing is perhaps because privileged Indians have no window into the lives of the poor.
We live in the same city but occupy different realms.
Reminded of this compelling piece by economist Reetika Khera — worth re-reading: scroll.in/article/812713…
We live in the same city but occupy different realms.
Reminded of this compelling piece by economist Reetika Khera — worth re-reading: scroll.in/article/812713…
