The decision of the Centre to charge an additional fare of ₹50 for migrant workers to travel back home in Shramik special trains, to be operated at the request of State governments, has drawn flak.
“At a time when the Centre should have shown some empathy for the workers by offering free train journeys, the additional fare has come as a shock,” said CPI(M) MP, Su. Venkatesan.
The workers have already lost their jobs and exhausted all their money and were virtually at the mercy of the State government and voluntary organisations for food during the lockdown.
Mr. Venkatesan wondered what role the Union Government was playing in the well-being of Indian workers. “Should not the Centre take any responsibility in this regard?” he asked.
He added that the Centre should not put the responsibility of meeting the travel expenses of the migrant workers on the State governments or the Indian Railways as they already faced a huge loss due to lockdown.
“What is the Centre going to do with the huge funds received in PM Cares, if even the travel of Indian workers is not taken care of?” the MP asked.
State governments had taken care of the workers with food and medical help all these 40 days. Besides, they need to take care of those workers returning home and their food in the coming days, he said.
These workers want to go back home only to be in their soil, to be with their people who speak the same language, said S.Selva Gomathi, executive director of Soco Trust, a voluntary organisation.
“Not many will have even a proper shelter for themselves back at their native places. The suffering will continue for them as they could not find jobs during lockdown,” Ms. Gomathi said.
“India being a welfare State, should not the Centre show some semblance of being so?,” she asked.
“The Centre should not have given us an opportunity to seek a free travel for such workers. It is but the moral responsibility of the Government,” she added.
Human rights activist Henri Tiphange of People’s Watch said had the Centre allowed the guest workers to return home at the beginning of lockdown, collection of fare could have been justified.
“These workers had always laboured for this State. But, they had never been paid the minimum wages under the Inter-State Migrant Labour Act or Contract Act,” he said.
Charging them would be disgraceful, Mr. Tiphange said, adding that courts should intervene now and ensure that the workers are sent back with dignity.