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The restless movement of migrants has been stopped in correlation to the thought that it may spread COVID-19 in the rural hinterlands. The government gave them only four hours to return to their home, or stay hungry and homeless on the eve of the start of lockdown.
It is possible that the government had
thought that it would help to stabilize the economic costs of running economic
activities that generally run on migrant labor after lockdown gets over. The
skill sets of these labourers are priced lower than their actual worth, they are
left out of the social safety net, and are further forced to live in inhumane
conditions due to high property and rental facilities in our modern cities. Thus,
the cities often end up treating them as outcasts.
And to add to these difficult times, the COVID-19
pandemic and the resultant bureaucratic decisions have left them in a more
vulnerable position than ever. As pointed out by media houses, the rationing
system too is inadequate to touch upon their food requirements.
Governments are flying jets to rescue rich
NRI people, but there is a dearth of cash and political will to evacuate these
people. These people are proclaimed to be the "Makers of Modern India,"
but are subject to large-scale exploitation in the hands of government machinery
and large capitalists.
The Indian government has failed to reach its
desired target population due to the inefficiency of its welfare schemes, making
the life of such underprivileged people a hell-like condition. Many of them
remain untouched of different government initiatives as they belong to unorganised
sector. The slumlords are generally throwing them out of their rented establishments
as these people were left high and dry without cash in their pockets.
Small units and construction facilities are
no longer functioning, and as we all know that these units generally provide very
minimal job security as they work mostly on present working cash. The government
decision has been made in haste since it did not consider the impact the
lockdown would have on these poor people.
In the initial days of lockdown, we saw many
people without their homes, money, and food risking their lives to return to
their native places. Many died on their way while a few of them survived their
great migratory journey.
Economists suggest that as these people are
going homewards, there would be a possibility of labor shortage that will
impact the post lockdown economic growth. The main logic behind the claim is the
crisis of labor in urban areas, and agriculturally advanced states will end up
paying higher labor costs due lower availability of cheap labor.
Though it is a well-known fact that the rural
areas lack sufficient economic opportunities for its citizens, the return of
these migrant workers will initiate a further crisis in the rural economy.
As we strengthen our fight towards coronavirus,
we are staring towards a large scale economic depression. But the question here
is- Can we let the majority of the poor countrymen to experience economic deprivation and hunger because of our bureaucratic whims? We could not save their livelihoods, but we
are not even allowing them to live a normal, dignified life.
In this fight between saving lives and protecting
livelihoods, we have mishandled their societal and political situation to
create deeper scars in these people's lives. After seventy years of
independence, not only have we failed to provide them economic and social
justice, but in this corona crisis, we have also taken away their right to lead
even an unjust life.
Written by: Bodhisatva Mukherjee
Edited by: Garima Singh
Written by: Bodhisatva Mukherjee
Edited by: Garima Singh
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