Battling hunger and money, migrant labourers struggling in Desh and Pardesh

Migrant labourers, roofless, jobless and penniless want to walk to Allahabad  instead of staying in fear and mercy of government

Mumbai: “Hamaare saath to Sarakar bahot bada Dhokha kar diya, na UP Sarkar sath diya aur Na Yaha ka Sarkar (I have been badly ditched by UP government as well as Maharashtra government), ” said Mataprasad Pandey (name withheld on request).

For Pandey, Mumbai city is ‘Pardesh’, the announcement on April 29, made by the Central government filled ray of hope to go back to his roots in Allahabad (now changed as Prayagraj) in Uttar Pradesh.

The 40 days of a nationwide amid lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, has left millions of migrant workers stranded, jobless, roofless, penniless and hungry. In such a dark cloud, the Central government permitted millions of migrants in lockdown 3.0 to go to their natives and unite with their families.

Pandey said, “Hamara Des (Desh) hain Madam Allahabad ( My native land is Allahabad). ” 

For most of the migrants from UP and Bihar, their natives is Desh. Most of the migrants from UP and Bihar it is word ‘Des’ instead of ‘Desh’. Like Pandey million of migrant workers (labourers) reside in Mumbai and most of them distinctly come from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh. In the last 10-years migrant labourers from Seven Sisters of India and West Bengal states corridors of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh ,too are queued up in the old and traditional list of states.

Pandey a daily wager works as a loader and is presently accommodated himself in the eastern suburb of Mumbai – Govandi. He has been working in Mumbai along from late 80s. Pandey’s father brought him to assist in loading work at very congested section of city Kalbadevi. However they always shared rooms with their villagers in suburban part of Mumbai. The undesired rains and drought brings most of UP and Bihar farmers to city in hunt of livelihood.

On March 24, the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a nationwide lockdown for 21 days and had limited the movement of the entire 1.3 billion population of India as preventive measure against COVID-19 pandemic .

Bus from UP:

Pandey immediately after the order contacted his co-labourers and friends hailing from his district. In return all contacted the Neta (politician) from their constituency and he promised all of them to send private bus to fetch them. Like Pandey the others are also his vote-bank. Thus migrant workers along with Shukla were waiting everyday for the Bus to arrive.

Later, the Parshad (Corporator) stopped taking their phone calls.

Train from LTT:

Pandey had returned in February from his native after performing last rituals of his father. Hardly left with any wages that he used to earn daily, he was managing the lockdown.

The fear of getting penniless, made him contact a railway agent, who booked railway ticket available on IRCTC, the e-ticket booking service of Indian Railways.

After playing hide-n-seek game with Mumbai Police on various checkpoints, he reached Lokmanaya Tilak Terminus only to realize no trains will operate in lockdown. The Railway Agent although had taken cash and extra money citing lockdown issue, Pandey was told that money will come only after lockdown. 

Shramik Special:

Pandey approached the railway agent who promised for registration in Sharmik Special trains. Shukla was sure to go to his family but the agent demanded more money from him.

The train was to depart from Navi Mumbai to Rewa in Madhya Pradesh.

He walked into Govandi Police station and they asked him to get medical certificate to show health fitness against coronavirus.

“Such a tragedy with me! Only few medical practitioners were available and I couldn’t get the certificate. Train left with 1200 migrants from Navi Mumbai, ” added he.

Pandey slept at a private courier company’s office near Kalbadevi. For him Mumbai is only to make some money and send it to his family in Allahabad. Having no roof, he baths at Public Toilets. In the initial phase of lockdown, he stayed inside public toilet only and survived on the food packets.

Somehow managed to reach to his villagers in Govandi , about 17 odd people stay in one kholi (room).  All of them have now decided to walk and reach to their Des by road.

“UP government Neta had promised that he will ensure we get a Private bus from UP. I give vote to him and his party. He ditched now the Maharashtra Sarkar is ditching , by asking up paying for tickets and certificates,” added the migrant worker,

“I am left with no money , my villagers and friends are taking care of me. I will walk for my family instead of living in Pardesh and getting food packets like beggars.  I will walk  all the way to my Allahabad district, ” said Pandey

Who is responsible

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech during nationwide lockdown had asked all the employers to not to sack the employees. It included the migrants also however they were left in lurch by their employees. 

According to the Union government, an overwhelming 120 million people or more are estimated to migrate from rural areas to urban labour markets, industries and farms.

Initially the state government had readily supported to arrange food and camps for migrants however after April 12, review meeting between the PM Modi and the chief ministers, Maharashtra backed Kerala.

Uddhav Thackeray the Chief Minister demanded special train services for migrants from the Central government.