By Gyan Pathak
Migrant workers continue to leave Delhi in large numbers. Thousands of them gathered at Anand Vihar ISBT to catch buses in the evening of April 19, 2020 within hours after the announcement of six days lockdown by the Chief Minister of Delhi. Police said in the morning of April 20, that over 5000 people were gathered at Anand Vihar ISBT and railway station and the number were rising. CM’s appeal with ‘folded hands’ not to leave Delhi seemed to have ceased its value for these migrants, who know that CM in Delhi has already been devalued recently by Modi government through an amendment of NCT Act.
The disquieting memory of the last year is still live in their minds, when migrant workers were left to fence for themselves on March 24 when PM Narendra Modi had suddenly announced lockdown of the country, without preparation by the centre and giving no time to the states to be ready with any planning to support the affected ones. Assurances by the centre turned out to be merely words, which the government did not care to honour, which had triggered a large scale exodus and chaos.
By the time Delhi government, which then meant the ‘elected government’ of the state, came out with assurances and plans to support the most adversely affected migrant labours and unban poors, it was too late. Thousands had already left for their home to distant villages and towns in other states, on foot, empty stomach, without water, through deserted roads and streets under lockdown. Scores of them perished without support. When the issue of compensation rose in the Parliament of India, Modi government feigned ignorance of deaths and said they do not have any record.
With this painful memory coupled with the new meaning of the Government of Delhi under the amended provision has shaken the confidence of every citizen of Delhi including the migrant workers. Since Government of Delhi now does not mean ‘elected government’ under the leadership of the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his assurance does not amount to given by the Government of Delhi. The assurance should come from ‘Lieutenant Governor’ to mean from the Government of Delhi, which is yet to come. Moreover, since the ‘Lieutenant Governor’ is the appointee of the centre, any assurance if comes from him, would be seen as coming from the Modi government, under whose strategy the migrant workers have been undergoing great sufferings, and hence their incredulity about the government assurances.
Under these circumstances, the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister need to come forward together, if they really want that migrant workers should not leave Delhi. Merely, “I am here for you” statement of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would not work, even when he says, “I assure you, the government will take full care of you – Main hunna, mujh par bharosa rakho.” People are asking if his assurance is endorsed by the Lieutenant Governor?
Let us be very frank that Delhi government did not come with any plan for protection of lives and livelihoods including financial support or relief to urban poor and the migrant workers before the announcement of the present six-day lockdown that came after weekend curfew in the national capital city. People have been primarily fencing for themselves for the last one year, with only a few programmes for their help are in place. In the political rivalry between the Aam Aadmi Party ruling the state and the BJP at the centre, we have seen several programmes proposed by the state and disposed by the centre through its appointee Lieutenant Governor.
Suspicion on the government’s ability to provide safety of life and livelihood is writ large on every face that is leaving Delhi. The second wave of COVID-19 began haunting the state since second week of February 2021, when Delhi had recorded only about 200 new cases of infection without any death. The infection rose over 25,000 a day on April 18 with nearly every third sample tested positive. During this time Delhi Chief Minister and even our Prime Minister have been telling people that they were against lockdown. However, the lockdown had to be announced, purportedly to prevent a collapse of the city’s health system. Delhi’s health system has reached its limits, the CM said, while telling that the city was facing the fourth wave of the pandemic.
If it is the fourth wave, what the LG and CM were doing during each of the waves in succession? They allowed violation of covid-appropriate behaviour and also ignored strengthening of the healthcare system. The capacity of the state government to arrange for beds is limited which can produce only about 6000 beds in 3-4 days while infection rate is over 25,000 daily. Shortfall in beds, oxygen, medicine, vaccines, ICUs et all have been reported. In this backdrop, when the CM said, “We won’t need to extend the lockdown anymore. The Delhi government will take care of you”, nobody believed.
It seems that the governments, both at the centre and in the state, did not learn any lesson from the past experience when the first lockdown was extended beyond 21 days despite assurance of winning corona battle as the Mahabharata battle was won in 18 days. It means assurance as mere words may not work in absence of concrete programmes for life and livelihood support. For loss of earning for every day, the migrant workers need immediate financial support to feed themselves, their women, and their children. One cannot feed or survive on merely assurances.
Modi government, which by proxy is ruling the state belittling the state government, must come out with such a plan for NCT Delhi’s migrants that may serve as example or model for other states in place of criticising them for allegedly doing little. Ensure their minimum basic income, protect their jobs, give financial assistance to cover up their earning losses, and financial relief during their emergency health crises. Assurances must not come in vague terms in which no one can be sure as to who will get what and when. (IPA Service)
