CHEAP POLITICS

Dear Editor

It is a matter of grief and sorrow that in such a deadly pandemic period, the Maharashtra Government and the Union Railway Ministry is continuing to blame each other over the issue of Shramik Special trains for migrants. The railways said that of the 85 trains that were scheduled to leave the state by 6 pm on Tuesday, only 27 had been operated due to non-arrangement of passengers by the State Government. The Chief Public Relations Officer Shivaji Sutar claimed that the passenger movement is very slow on the part of the State Government. On the other hand, the Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab slammed the Centre and alleged that the Railway Ministry provided only 43 of the 48 trains together sought by the state, despite knowing that only two trains would leave for West Bengal due to the weather condition there. He said “In all, we had sought 48 trains for West Bengal to ferry migrants in the coming days, but 43 trains were scheduled for departure on a single day. During this time the West Bengal government had advised us that only two trains daily will be allowed to enter the State owing to the adverse weather conditions there and we had accepted their request. By scheduling 43 trains, the Centre wants to portray that they want to provide trains but the Maharashtra Government does not have the administrative strength to send migrant labourers.” Regardless of what side of such debates one stands on, what it is clear is that cheap and petty politics are being carried out by some political leaders at a time when we could benefit with the absence of such petty distractions. The issue of migrant movement is not one where any political part can expect any gains by playing the blame game. This is really a situation that requires total cooperation on all sides, otherwise, the endeavour fails miserably and everyone comes out worse for the wear. Let us leave the game of politics for another time perhaps.

..... B O CHANGA, WEST BENGAL via email