Winnipeg-based businessman, who has played a major role in developing Canada-India business relations, vents his anger at the authorities for pushing poor migrants into deep distress
With the corona lockdown in India on March 25 bringing untold misery to millions of migrants across the country, one expected central and state governments to desist from playing dirty politics over these poor people rendered jobless and penniless. Alas, this has happened!
I am very familiar with Mumbai – the city which has suffered the most during the pandemic. Being India’s financial capital, Mumbai is a magnet for migrants. As the corona virus took its toll on the city, deporting migrants to their native place inevitably turned out to be a big headache for the Maharashtra government.
Things got quickly worse. The migrant crisis grabbed international attention and became viral on social media.
Central and Maharashtra governments and various government agencies proved an utter failure to control this rather grave situation. The plight of the poor migrants continues even more than two months after the lockdown.
At this critical situation, my humble request to Central and state governments is to desist from playing dirty politics over the plight of the hapless migrants.
The situation is excruciating for all the migrants and our heart bleeds for them. The scenes of misery of the poor migrants are being repeated across the country – but more so in Mumbai.
I have seen Mumbai in several different phases and the only common thing I find there is that Mumbaikars unite in difficult situations. But this time, it has been extremely distressing to see migrant workers sitting hopelessly at the Kurla station with their families and infants or making their way by foot or on bicycles to reach their home states hundreds of kilometres away.
In fact, the city’s (and Asia’s) biggest slum Dharavi – where due to inadequate space it’s not possible to maintain social-distancing – has become the epicentre of the virus.
As I have said, migrant labourers have been extremely important for Mumbai and its business. Their contribution to its economy cannot be forgotten. That’s why it is unforgivable that when these migrant workers needed our support, they were abandoned. Mumbai let them down when it was its moral duty to stand by them and help ease their pain.
To make matters worse, our politicians started playing dirty politics and blame games as the pandemic wiped out poor lives. Where is their humanity when these poor people needed their support?
The present grim situation in our country is similar to the Second World War when no one was prepared for it. Even superpowers such as America or Russia have failed to fight the corona virus.
Social-distancing is the vital key precaution to fight this deadly virus. But this is the main problem in India because of its massive population. Then there are limited beds and medical facilitates in the country. This grim scenario makes it all the more important that everyone should work together to alleviate the sufferings of poor migrants, rather than play politics.
The silver lining is that many people, NGOs and local authorities are trying their best to provide support to the stranded migrants across the country. It is a very positive sign in this negative situation. We all must try to spread positivity by coming out of our comfort zones and support the hapless millions who have been pushed into a very precarious situation.
