Bengal to seek 120 more trains: CM.... Over 2.5 lakh people have already returned to the state, with 4 lakh yet to arrive

ASenior officials visit the Raiganj railway station on Monday to inspect arrangements to receive special trains. (Kousik Sen)

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya, TT, 19.05.20, Calcutta: Mamata Banerjee on Monday said her government would requisition 120 more trains to bring back nearly four lakh migrant workers and others stranded across India to Bengal.

The 120 trains are in addition to the 115 trains requisitioned already by the Bengal government. Over 2.5 lakh people have already returned to the state.

Two days after she had announced that the Bengal government would bear the entire cost of the special trains bringing back the stranded people, the chief minister stole yet another march on the BJP, which has appeared desperate to shift the blame of the migrant workers crisis of Biblical proportions to non-BJP state governments such as hers.

“We have already asked for 115 trains, 16 of which have arrived so far. In two-three days, we will ask for 120 more trains. So that in another 15 days, we can start bringing five-six trains, eventually 10 trains — each ferrying 1,600-1,800 — daily. We will speak to the railways and see. Of course, all expenses to be borne by us,” said the chief minister.

“So, 235 trains, 3.5-4 lakh more people. Besides tens of thousands of others via buses…. In addition to the 2.5-3 lakh that have already returned via trains and buses,” she added.

Amid the rising counts of Covid-19 patients across the country, the plight of migrant workers has taken centre-stage.

Mamata accused the Centre of charging migrant workers for their return journeys and also charging state governments at a higher rate than usual. “Those at the Centre, giving lofty bhashan, have you no shame? You are fleecing migrant workers…. You used to charge Rs 6.5-7.5 lakh a train, but now you are taking Rs 10 lakh per train,” she said.

The Centre has seemed keen to focus on alleged shortcomings in Bengal’s attempts to tackle the migrant crisis, in continuation of the BJP’s zealous attempts for over a month to politicise — even communalise — the pandemic, especially in states like Bengal where gains are at stake because of impending elections.

“I would ask the political parties to cooperate. This really isn’t the time for politics. Some have been thinking, for petty political gains, ‘let’s provoke this one and that one’… please don’t provoke anyone…. The whole nation belongs to all of us. This state is also part of that…. Everybody has to stay well,” said Mamata on Monday.

“Do I fight Covid-19, or the migrant workers’ crisis or the cyclone on its way? This is not the time for fishing in muddied waters. Please, those not in government now, don’t stoop so low,” she added.

The chief minister said elaborate medical and logistical arrangements were in place in accordance with the protocols for those coming back, especially from “highly vulnerable” states such as Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

“The people coming back, nobody even looked after them. There were lakhs from other states stranded here. Have you heard any complaints about us? We tried our best. Everybody is a citizen of this one nation,” she said.

“Elsewhere, they were not fed properly, not given proper shelter, nor the chance to rest, they went through a lot… the migrant workers. So many died,” she added. “Our workers stranded elsewhere, requesting all states, please take proper care of them. If you push them all out at one go, how will I get them all to their homes in a day’s time? There is resistance locally as well. An emotive issue amid the Covid-19 scare.”