As Surat migrants protest, demand to resume MSMEs. Reason? 'Zero Covid-19 case'

Surat migrants' protest

Counterview Desk
Several civil rights and workers’ organizations have made a representation to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani and chief secretary Anil Mukim on urgent need for exit strategy, especially for migrant workers of Surat, even as hundreds of them have been reportedly protesting, demanding safe passage to their homes.
Home to about 15 lakh migrant labourers, belonging to several states, most notably Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, the city has been witnessing the expressions of restive migrant labourers for some time now, and with the extension of lockdown, things have become particularly become precarious for them.
While the officials claim that they have been feeding around six lakh people per day, with NGOs helping them out by distributing food packets and community kitchens, and arrangements for their shelter have been made, migrants have little faith in the administration, say reports.

Text:

We as concerned individuals/ organisations/ NGOs associated with labourers, poor and marginalised, and civil rights groups engaged with providing relief to the needy, seek your attention towards the following suggestions as part of the exit strategy out of the present challenging situation.
The world is going through the dire times fighting against the deadly Covid-19 virus. The timely decision by the Central Government and the subsequent steps taken in conjunction with the states has ensured to arrest the spread of the deadly virus in our country. Taking stock of the situation and need of the hour the Central Government has announced extension of the lockdown till May 3.
The present health emergency has also resulted in Humanitarian distress. Our economy which was already ailing is also facing a blow from the present situation. We appreciate the efforts put in by the state government, administration, health workers, police department, sanitation workers and the civil society. The cumulative efforts have ensured that we address the issue at various fronts. The state of Gujarat has successfully been able to contain the spread of Covid-19 and ensure health and safety of the citizens.
As the government plans to prepare for the exit strategy from the current situation we would like to put some specific suggestions regarding the humanitarian issues involved with the Working and the marginalised class:

Surat district has about more than 15 lakh migrant workers from states like Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, UP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, etc. The areas with sizeable migrant population in Surat are safe from the spread of the deadly virus. We have successfully passed about 25 days without any reported cases in the area (14 days incubation period for the virus).
The workers are engaged in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). MSMEs form the economic backbone of the state of Gujarat. The Gujarat government should prioritise opening and functioning of this industries immediately with adequate precautions as prescribed by Health Department. Hence the large population associated with the textile, diamond and other industries can get engaged and employed. This will also help the entrepreneurs.
The needy migrant workers be provided atleast 10 days of ration per person in one tranche immediately (rice, wheat, dal, oil, etc.). This will ensure that they have enough to feed themselves for next 10 days.
A single point functional helpline or WhatsApp number be provided for people to register themselves for the Ration. Announcements regarding this be made in Hindi too. Anyone registering here be responded maximum within next two days with provisions.
Labour unions, NGOs and civil society organisations can be engaged in ensuring smooth implementation and observation of registration and distribution of the provisions.
The government can arrange for transportation after proper screening of people who wish to return to their natives, since there are almost zero cases in the migrant areas. We are yet unable to cover all the population under testing, this can be safely considered. Since the administration and security personnel are engaged in ensuring law and order situation, this will also ensure that their services can be utilised in other areas, at a time when the state is already stressed of human resources.

We hope the state government will positively consider the above important suggestions. This can be replicated in other districts also.
---
*Click HERE for signatories

Comments

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Ahmedabad's Sabarmati riverfront under scrutiny after Subhash Bridge damage

By Rosamma Thomas* Large cracks have appeared on Subhash Bridge across the Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, close to the Gandhi Ashram . Built in 1973, this bridge, named after Subhash Chandra Bose , connects the eastern and western parts of the city and is located close to major commercial areas. The four-lane bridge has sidewalks for pedestrians, and is vital for access to Ashram Road , Ellis Bridge , Gandhinagar and the Sabarmati Railway Station .

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

Farewell to Robin Smith, England’s Lionhearted Warrior Against Pace

By Harsh Thakor* Robin Smith, who has died at the age of 62, was among the most adept and convincing players of fast bowling during an era when English cricket was in decline and pace bowling was at its most lethal. Unwavering against the tormenting West Indies pace attack or the relentless Australians, Smith epitomised courage and stroke-making prowess. His trademark shot, an immensely powerful square cut, made him a scourge of opponents. Wearing a blue England helmet without a visor or grille, he relished pulling, hooking and cutting the quicks.

No action yet on complaint over assault on lawyer during Tirunelveli public hearing

By A Representative A day after a detailed complaint was filed seeking disciplinary action against ten lawyers in Tirunelveli for allegedly assaulting human rights lawyer Dr. V. Suresh, no action has yet been taken by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, according to the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).

Latur’s quiet rebel: Dr Suryanarayan Ransubhe and his war on Manuvad

By Ravi Ranjan* In an India still fractured by caste, religion, and language, where narrow loyalties repeatedly threaten to tear the nation apart, Rammanohar Lohia once observed that the true leader of the bahujans is one under whose banner even non-bahujans feel proud to march. The remark applies far beyond politics. In the literary-cultural and social spheres as well, only a person armed with unflinching historical consciousness and the moral courage to refuse every form of personality worship—including worship of oneself—can hope to touch the weak pulse of the age and speak its bitter truths without fear or favour.

Differences in 2002 and 2025 SIR revision procedures spark alarm in Gujarat

By A Representative Civil rights groups and electoral reform activists have raised serious concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Gujarat and 11 other states, alleging that the newly enforced requirements could lead to large-scale deletion of legitimate voters, particularly those unable to furnish documentation linking them to the 2002 electoral list.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Urgent need to study cause of large number of natural deaths in Gulf countries

By Venkatesh Nayak* According to data tabled in Parliament in April 2018, there are 87.76 lakh (8.77 million) Indians in six Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While replying to an Unstarred Question (#6091) raised in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said, during the first half of this financial year alone (between April-September 2018), blue-collared Indian workers in these countries had remitted USD 33.47 Billion back home. Not much is known about the human cost of such earnings which swell up the country’s forex reserves quietly. My recent RTI intervention and research of proceedings in Parliament has revealed that between 2012 and mid-2018 more than 24,570 Indian Workers died in these Gulf countries. This works out to an average of more than 10 deaths per day. For every US$ 1 Billion they remitted to India during the same period there were at least 117 deaths of Indian Workers in Gulf ...

Search This Blog