Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray assured migrant workers who had gathered near the Bandra railway station on Tuesday afternoon demanding the resumption of train services to carry them home in violation of the lockdown orders, that they were not in a lockup and should therefore maintain discipline for the next two weeks after which arrangements will be made to have them sent home, reported news agency ANI.
“Nobody wants that you stay in lockup without your will. Lockdown doesn’t mean lockup. It is our country,” Uddhav was reported as saying.
He reminded the migrant labourers who had gathered in huge numbers triggering fears of a repeat of the situation seen in Delhi’s Anand Vihar last month when several thousands of migrant workers lined up at the interstate bus terminus hoping to catch a ride home, that they were safe in Maharashtra.
The crowd of over 1,000 migrant workers had begun gathering within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to extend the national lockdown till May 3 after the first phase of 21-day-long lockdown ended today.
The crowd could be controlled late in the afternoon only after a mid lathicharge and use of force by the police. The migrants were insisting that arrangements be made to take them home since they were struggling to get food in the state.
Police officials later assured them that they will be provided food, most of these migrant workers are said to be from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.