Special train rumours bring migrants on street in Bandra

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the coronavirus-enforced nationwide lockdown to May 3, close to a 1,000 migrant workers gathered outside Bandra

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the coronavirus-enforced nationwide lockdown to May 3, close to a 1,000 migrant workers gathered outside Bandra railway station, after they heard rumours that the government was running a special train for migrants to return home. The situation eventually forced the Mumbai Police to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the migrants — most of them from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal — who were demanding the state help them return home. A police officer said the migrants, who assembled around 3pm, were dispersed two hours later.

HT Image

The incident snowballed into a political blame game between the ruling and opposition parties in Maharashtra as tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray took aim at the Union government for “failing to take a call on arranging a way back for these migrant workers”, while the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit called the incident a failure of the state.

Home minister Anil Deshmukh, meanwhile, directed the police to investigate who spread the rumours about the train and take stern action against those found guilty.

While the Bandra police filed an FIR against 700 unidentified persons, the Navi Mumbai police detained an Airoli resident for allegedly uploading a video on social media which officers said may have helped spread the rumours.

“The man has been handed over to Bandra police. They will carry out further investigation; we can’t reveal anything,” said Yogesh Gawde, senior inspector at Rabale police station.

Tuesday’s scenes were a replay of the events in Delhi last month. Daily wage workers have been rendered jobless ever since the lockdown was announced late last month to stem the spread of coronavirus, making their life a struggle. Despite authorities and NGOs making arrangements for their food, most of them want to go back to their home to escape the hardships brought by the curbs.

Vijayalaxmi Hiremath, senior police inspector at Bandra police station, said, “We received information about people having gathered outside Bandra railway station around 3.30pm. A team of police officers rushed to the spot and found close to a 1,000 people gathered there.”

Additional reinforcement was called from the reserved police force zonal office and from the neighbouring police stations of Khar and Santacruz. “We tried to make them understand, and asked them to return to their houses, but the crowd was not in a mood to listen,” said Hiremath.

“The workers were protesting against extension of the lockdown, saying they do not have access to food and other essentials,” said a western railway (WR) official, who did not want to be named.

The Bandra police, in co-ordination with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), also arranged for a truckload of essential commodities for the people who had gathered there. But they refused to accept it, and started heckling the police personnel on duty.

“There are around 10 CCTV cameras in the area and we have footage from a drone, which will help us identify the people who were part of the crowd,” said Hiremath.

Farooq Shaikh, a daily-wage worker who stays at Behrampada in Bandra (East), said, “I am from Malda in West Bengal. We heard the government was running a special train from Mumbai. So we packed our luggage to leave the city as we have lost our jobs.”

Zahid Mistri, also from Malda and who lives in Bandra, said, “We are out of food and now the lockdown has been extended. How will we survive here in Mumbai? We came to know about a special train running for migrants, so we gathered.”

Abhishek Trimukhe, deputy commissioner of police, zone 9, said, “We have registered an offence.”

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who addressed the state via Facebook Live, said no one should politicise the issue of migrants and asked labourers’ cooperation to fight the current situation. Thackeray also warned people against misleading them and disturbing the law-and-order situation.

He urged the migrant workers not to worry and stay in the state until lockdown continues. He said that they are safe in Maharashtra and will be allowed to go to their native places the day the lockdown is over.

The chief minister said someone must have “misled” them that trains are starting from today, as a result, they have gathered there. “We have many people who could do this. Do not try to play with their emotions and create law-and-order situation in the state. I will take strict action against such people. I also ask people not to politicise the issue. This is the time to remain united and fight the pandemic,” the chief minister said.

Thackeray switched to Hindi during his address and told the migrants, “Why are you worried? You are with us, staying in my state. You will be safe here. There is nothing to worry about. We are not feeling happy to lock you like this. We have to face the challenge unitedly. The day lockdown will be relaxed, you will be allowed to go to your homes. I’m in contact with the Central government regularly.”

He also said that the state has made arrangements of food and stay of around six lakh migrant workers, along with medical facilities. The state also increased the scope of Shiv Bhojan thali, subsidised meal scheme, to 80,000 per day.

Devendra Fadnavis, former chief minister and leader of Opposition in Maharashtra, said the incident highlighted the failure of the state government.

“The incident that happened in Bandra is serious. We have been telling the state government from day one to arrange for essential rations for migrants, who do not have ration cards. But the state government has failed to do so. Migrants coming out and demanding food or allowing them to leave for their home state is a failure of the government. It is surprising, that instead of helping the people, ministers are blaming the Central government in an attempt to hide their failure. It is shameful that the government is playing politics at such a time. I urge the state government to hear the people on how they want the ration and food,” he said.

Railway authorities also stated that there were rumours on the commencement of train services, however, a notification was issued on the extension of the cancellation of train services. “It is clarified that all passenger train services on Indian Railways, including premium trains, mail/express trains, passenger trains, suburban (local) trains, shall continue to remain cancelled till 12am, May 3, as per guidelines of the Government of India,” said a statement from the Western railway.

Tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray took to social media to announce that the crowd had been dispersed but also took a swipe at the Central government.

Thackeray said the migrant workers wanted to go back to their hometowns and many were refusing to eat and stay in labour camps.

“The current situation at Bandra Station, now dispersed or even the rioting in Surat is a result of the Union Government not being able to take a call on arranging a way back home for migrant labour. They don’t want food or shelter, they want to go back home.” tweeted Aaditya Thackeray.

Thackeray also reiterated the state government’s demand to operate trains for 24 hours for migrant labourers.

“Right from the day the trains have been shut down, the State had requested trains to run for 24 hours more so that migrant labour could go back home. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray raised this issue in the PM- CM video conference as well requesting a roadmap for migrant labour to reach home,” he said.

The FIR against around 700 people has been registered at Bandra police station, under sections 143 (punishment— whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (punishment for rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly, guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) , 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the India Penal Code (IPC) and section 3 of the epidemic diseases act 1897.

Meanwhile, more than 100 migrant labourers came out on the streets in Mumbra on Tuesday, demanding they be sent to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. After the lockdown was extended, they panicked. They came out in droves from their homes and blocked the roads near Rashid Compound at Mumbra around 1.30pm.

Mumbra police and State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) personnel reached the spot and stopped them from agitating. They started announcing over megaphones to disperse, saying the government will continue to give them food and shelter. It took around 20 minutes for the police to remove them from the streets.

Deputy commissioner of police, S Burse, said, “Around 120 people came to the streets and started demanding transport to return to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Most of them stay in Mumbra on rent. We assured them that all their basic needs would be met.” In Kalyan, police saw a crowd of people near Kalyan station area. They were waiting for an ST bus. The cops told them to go home and they immediately dispersed.

(with inputs from agencies)