Scores of migrant workers hit the roads in Surat again

TNN | Updated: Apr 15, 2020, 08:08 IST

About 1,000 migrants blocked the street in Varachha area of Surat on Tuesday

SURAT: Nearly 1,000 migrant workers took to the streets in Mohan Nagar Chawl in Varachha area of the city on Tuesday demanding that they be allowed to return to their native states.
Police, however, stopped them from reaching the main road after convinced them to go back to their homes after hectic 45-minutes counselling.
The migrant workers started gathering late evening and blocked the entire street of the densely populated Baroda Pristage locality.
A team of around 50 policemen ensured that the crowd doesn't turn violent and started taking to some people who had taken the lead of the protest. Majority of the workers are from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The workers were upset due to extension of lockdown period announced on Tuesday, police said. "The crowd was not violent and they only want to go to their native places. They said that their native states have no issues in getting them back. They just want to get out of here," said a senior police officer.
Some of the labourers were also complaining that they are not getting enough food to eat. "We are getting food being distributed by an NGO daily but the quantity is not sufficient. Couple of chappatis, vegetable and one bowl of rice and dal is not sufficient for us," a labourer complained.
Police explained them that in the present situation, the priority for those providing food is to ensure that none of them sleep hungry. "If anyone wants more food, they will have to stand in queue again. To ensure there is no wastage, limited food is being distributed to each worker, but they can take as many times they want," said a police officer.
Earlier last week migrant workers had blocked the main roads in Pandesara and Laskana areas of the city and resorted to violence. In Pandesara, migrants workers of textile and chemical units from UP, Bihar and Odisha had resorted to stone pelting on police vehicles.
In Laskana, migrants from Odisha employed in textile weaving units had blocked Kamrej-Surat highway. After both incidents, police had arrested nearly 80 workers but provided them warm meals.