Bengaluru, May 7: Fear and anxiety gripped migrant workers who lined up at police stations in the city on Wednesday to register for train services without knowing that the state government had cancelled the train facility.
Senior officials in South Western Railway said they were ready to run special trains for migrant workers. On Tuesday evening, the state government decided to withdraw the requests made for 13 such trains to north India after realtors said they need the labourers here.
Migrants continued to stream into the railway station at Majestic, Bangalore International Exhibition Centre and even the bus station hoping for some travel arrangement. Many who were aware of the government web portal, stood in front of the BBMP ward office or police stations for enrolment.
In Varthur, over 100 migrants stood in front of the police station and sought to know what happened to the forms they had submitted four days ago. "We first went to the BBMP office and were shooed away by an official who directed us to go to the police station. We want to go home and demanded that the police help us. There was no response first. Then they came out and beat us," said Pintu Kumar from Mohanpur of Bhagalpur district in Bihar.
Though a video clip accidentally shot by Kumar showed two police personnel charging the cane at them, a police officer from the Varthur station, however, disputed the claim. "The video doesn’t show the cane landing on any person. We were beating the seat and tyre of two-wheelers to send the migrants away," he said.
At Mahadevapura, the workers came in groups and submitted the forms at the police station.
At the railway station in Majestic, a group of labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand had walked from several areas in south Bengaluru only to be told that there is no train. Mahendra, a labourer from Jharkhand, said they received 5 kg rice and nothing else in the last 45 days. "Now, I don’t want food. I don’t want the job or money. I can't get stuck here. I want to go home,” he said.
'Restore dignity'
Activists and leaders wrote an open letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa questioning the decision to cancel trains without consulting labourers and protesting the violation of their fundamental rights.
The letter had support of 522 organisations and individuals, including Dalit rights organisations and trade unions. It urged the government to restore the dignity of the migrant workers. "We demand recognition of the autonomy and dignity of the migrant workers to decide their travel plans. No one should be forced either to stay back or to return to their home states," it said.
Comments
At least India woman follows aschame tradition In Karnataka women having a greatest tradition but,
Miss Shobakka doubted as a Kannidiga as well Southcararian!!!!!! at least get marry Akka leave people alone telling, barking lies and heating up kannidigas now it will not digest, yes boneless tounge God created remember one or other day people who evr claps for your tounge see what happens.
Indian tradition "Marriage should be done in certain age specially for woman" if not we know how to call remember!!!!!!
Does people select this waste Shoba only for lying and spitting venum of hate. Its shame that people elected such a lady who is a agent of sangh parivar and taking care of creating disturbance and riot in coastal karnataka. Coastal karnataka is not a hub for jihadis as no jihadi is there but hub for sanghi terrorists who are financed by nagpur based terror group and supported by people like kalla bhatta. She should be deprived of her seat and HC should strip her of this position as she is not representing people but representing sangh parivar goondas. She is the main person behind riots and property loss in uttar Kannada dist. HC should order for confiscating her property worth crores of rupees int he form of estates/ bungalows/ shopping arcades etc etc. and distribute among the poeple who lost their homes + businesses.
What about the murders and communal clashes off her rss.Why there is no value for the victims.Being a peoples represantative why she us always talking about rss I/o Indians. Elected member must concentrate on ournation Indias unity. She iplaying political game by the name of religion. From where she got such huge amount to bit benami propetry coffee estate etc. Last week she asking gun today different demand n tomorrow we expect some thing different only to split the society. At our coastall area these communal deshould drohi groopus want communal clash before state essembly election for sake of vote bank.
Trust qualified peace loving patriot statell people give a right reply with a tight slap on these communal mind politicians.
Jai HIND!
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