Decision to cancel spl trains for migrant labourers is 'inhumane': Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday slammed the state government’s decision to withdraw its request to run special trains to ferry migrant labourers to their home states.

Lashing out at the government for heeding to request of builders, who fear that construction work will suffer if migrants leave the state, Siddaramaiah, in a series of tweets said that forcing migrants to stay against their wishes was undemocratic.

“The sudden decision to cancel the trains is not only inhumane but also violates the fundamental rights of workers. If the migrants had been taken care of during the 40-day lockdown period why are they so desperate to return to their hometown,” he tweeted.

In yet another tweet Siddaramaiah said, “The decision to go back or to stay back should be with the labourers & not with the government. Labourers are free to choose health or work. Who will take responsibility if something goes wrong? Are we still practicing bonded labour?”

Siddaramaiah urged the government to arrange for a train for the migrants to return to their hometowns before any kind of violent protests.

Earlier in the day, builders met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to apprise him of the problems to the construction sector in migrant labourers left the state.

It maybe recalled that migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal had created a ruckus in the city on Monday demanding that they be sent home.

They went on rampage and attacked police personnel too. After much efforts, the situation was brought under control.