Migrant workers throng MP borders in bid to return home

BHOPAL: Thousands of labourers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have gathered along Madhya Pradesh’s borders with Gujarat and Maharasthra as they seek to return to their states even as inter-state borders remained closed as part of the national lockdown imposed to check the Covid-19 spread, multiple officials said on Monday.

The officials said about 8,000 people, including women and children, have gathered at Bijasan in Barwani along the state’s border with Maharashtra and over 5000 at Pitol in Jhabua that borders Gujarat since Saturday as they were not allowed to enter Madhya Pradesh. Similarly, thousands of labourers gathered at Johariya in Datia district along the Madhya PradeshUttar Pradesh border as it remained closed.

Rohit, a labourer from Uttar Pradesh’s Faridpur stranded along the Gujarat border, said their group reached Pitol on Sunday. “We want to go to Uttar Pradesh. The officials say Yogi Adityanath does not want us to enter UP. The authorities are opening and closing the border. There is no food and water for us since Sunday. There should be prior information when they are going to close or open the border.”

Arvind Kumar from Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh said people from Madhya Pradesh were being allowed to enter the state while they were not.

Datia collector Rohit Singh said a number of labourers were allowed to get in but then the border was closed from the Uttar Pradesh side. Madhya Pradesh police chief Vivek Johri said they have no problem in allowing people to enter the state but UP has to allow them. The Barwani administration arranged 200 buses for labourers to go to UP on Thursday and Friday but they were stuck in Datia as the border remained closed.

State governments have been scrambling to arrange buses and trains to send migrant workers home after the Centre allowed them to travel.

Vishwadeep Singh Parihar, a police inspector in Barwani, said there are pregnant women and couples with kids among the stranded people. “The administration has decided to arrange transport for such people for UP so that they could reach their homes whenever the border is opened.” A police SI and two constables were injured on Sunday as labourers in Barwani threw stones at them when they were not allowed to enter MP.

Another official said even though the administration arranged food for labourers at Bijasan, their numbers have swelled. “We had not anticipated that UP will close its borders. Even otherwise it is not possible to provide basic facilities for the stay and food for such a large number of people that too while ensuring social distancing.”

Activist Medha Patkar said people are coming even as the mercury has shot up to 42 degree Celsius but no one is taking care of them whether it is the Centre or state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Mahrashtra and Gujarat.

8,000 LABOURERS GATHERED AT BIJASAN VILLAGE AND OVER 5,000 AT PITOL IN JHABUA AS THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER MADHYA PRADESH