By Thomas Scaria and Irudaya Jothi

New Delhi, May 6, 2020: Several human rights activists and groups in India on May 6 expressed shock and dismay over the Karnataka government’s decision to cancel trains meant for ferrying migrant laborers to their home towns.

The state government had written to Indian Railways to cancel all trains scheduled from May 6.

The decision was taken hours after Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa met leading property developers of the southern Indian state.

After the meeting the chief minister released a statement claiming that the Covid-19 situation in the state was under control compared to other state.

“Barring the red zones, business, construction work and industrial activities have to be resumed. In this background, it was explained that unnecessary travel of the migrant workers has to be controlled,” the statement said.

The government move has upset migrant workers who have been struggling to find a train to return home to escape starvation.

The train cancellation is “a clear act of violation of one’s human rights and dignity,” bemoans Claretian Father George Kannanthanam, who is engaged in humanitarian activities among those affected by lockdown says,

The priest, who is based in the Karnataka capital of Bengaluru, noted that the migrant workers, who have been longing to go home since the lockdown began, were thrilled when the railways announced special trains to ferry them.

“All of a sudden, the state wants to hold them back. It is an act of modern slavery,” asserts Father Kannanthanam, who distributes essential food kits to many migrant laborers. “I have not seen any contractor feeding them all these days,” he added.

The priest says nearly 25 percent of Bengaluru’s more than 10 million people are migrant laborers. Most of them have left their family back in their native places.

Father Oswald Monteiro, director of the social service wing of the Mangalore diocese, wants to take “a balanced view” on the matter. “Taking into consideration of the pandemic, it is not safe to travel,” he told Matters India.

According to him, it is better if people stayed back where they are until the pandemic subsides. “However, it should be given to the personal decision of the laborers. If they want to go back, the government should not interfere,” he added.

Meanwhile, as many as 177 activists, civil rights groups and environmentalists spread all over the country on May 6 wrote “an open letter” to the Karnataka chief minister alleging that the government decision was “solely to appease the lobby of builders and contractors who claim that the return of workers to their home states will adversely impact the construction sector.”

The letter regrets that the decision was taken without consulting the migrant laborers or trade unions.

The letter also points out that since March 24 most builders and contractors have completely abandoned the workers “leaving them to scrounge for food and money in violation of government orders.”

It was on March 24 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown from midnight that day to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdown was extended twice, first to May 3 and then to May 14.

“Several reports and workers’ testimonies present an alarming picture of the lockdown. As some reports indicate, 64 percent of migrant workers are left with less than 100 rupees, only 6 percent of them received full wages during the lockdown and only one in five received rations,” the letter points out.

The activists also said the federal and state governments have failed to ensure payment of wages, food, financial and tenure security during lockdown “thereby stripping the workers of rights to dignity and food.”

A senior government official said that although no reason was given for withdrawing the train services, the decision was taken following a meeting with the representatives of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India. The official said in the meeting that it was decided migrant workers were needed to revive the state’s economy.

Earlier on May 5, two trains had left for Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand from Bengaluru. They were the last trains to take back migrant workers to their home states.

Another senior official claimed that those who booked tickets on trains had left. However, several workers were seen unable to get on a train at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, the transit point.