Pravasi Samwad Editorial
The status of migrant workers in the Covid-19 situation has created a new political situation for the central and state governments and almost all the political parties. Their migration, way of living, safety, and security issues have suddenly become a matter of concern for all the stakeholders, even though the issues remained the same for decades without any note.
Since everyone stands exposed in this open theatre of Covid-19, there is a competition to come out with the first blame in the political blame game.
The situation has forced the common voters to re-visit the so-called development, the country achieved in 73 years and the ground realities they face in terms of non-availability of basic infrastructures of health, food security, education, and many other basic amenities.
They are not ready to be fooled over the iconic developments like the country becoming a nuclear power, reaching over Mars and a near-miss over the Moon. Even 1,000s of kilometres of roads and the development of airports do not excite them.
They are asking questions; why our cities and villages are so dirty, why they do not have proper health centres, why the schools are so dilapidated, and even, why they are forced to migrate to towns, cities, and states in search of jobs leaving behind families and children. They feel the pinch of mistreatment of family members for the sake of livelihood, good education and healthcare. With some savings, they hope to have their dream house, and everything gets shattered with any small mishappening; forget an event of the magnitude of a pandemic like Coronavirus. Where is their social security?
“Reaching over the Mars or Moon or even becoming a nuclear power might be giving a sense of pride to those who have luxuries of thinking about them. My pride meets when I arrange meals for my family, send children to schools with books and notebooks, and bring medicines on time when they fall sick,” said a migrant worker on way back to Bihar from Gujarat.
Since the migrant workers have exposure to working outside in better planned Indian states, they have started asking questions about the system within India.
“If the system is same, the country is same then why some states are far more developed, while others are lagging even in basic amenities. They charge the same tax, get the same central support, and are forced to go away from our parent states and face discrimination and hardship. Why should we suffer for their politics and pay the price of inhuman living,” said another worker humbly, but on a serious note.
“We are responsible for our sufferings. When an election comes, we do not ask about development. We are made to consume the opium of caste, creed and religion, and we act as the slaves of vested interest politicians who blatantly play divide and rule.”
The foundation should start from the bottom to the top, not from Mars and Moon. Any compulsions of development should not ignore the ground realities and needs of the common person.