NHRC questions MHA, Railways for deaths of migrants

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Union Home Ministry, the Railway Board and the Bihar and Gujarat governments in connection with the reported deaths of some migrant workers on Shramik Special trains

1.NHRC issued notices to MHA for deaths of migrants

NHRC has also questioned the government for the lack of food and water for the passengers on these trains

2.NHRC has also questioned the lack of food on shramik special  trains

The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of media reports about the trains not only starting late, but also taking many more days to reach their destinations.

3.NHRC also seeked report on trains running late

One of the reports claimed that many migrant labourers lost their lives during their journey due to the longer duration and the absence of arrangements for drinking water and food

4.Most of the migrants lost their lives due to lack of food and water

An NHRC statement said. The government had started these special trains on May 1 to ferry migrant workers back to their home States after they were stranded in different parts of the country during the COVID-19-induced lock-down from March 25.

5.NHRC  said the trains started only in May and it was too late

The NHRC noted that two people died in Muzaffarpur and one each in Danapur, Sasaram, Gaya, Begusarai and Jehanabad in Bihar. “All of them reportedly died due to hunger.

6.NHRC statement said many migrants died of hunger during  travel

In another incident, a train reportedly started from Surat district in Gujarat for Siwan in Bihar on May 16 and reached Bihar on May 25 i.e. after 9 days.

7.A Train took 9 days to reach Bihar from Gujarat

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, amount to gross violation of human rights.

8.Government is responsible for gross violation of Human rights-NHRC

The aggrieved families have suffered irrevocable loss. The State has failed to protect the lives of the poor labourers on board the trains,” the statement said.

9.The state has failed to protect the lives of  poor-NHRC

Taking the reports into account, the NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Bihar and Gujarat governments, the chairman of the Railway Board and the Union Home Secretary, seeking their reports within four weeks.

10. NHRC has asked for reports within 4 weeks

“...Train getting lost during journey, reaching unexpected destinations and taking more than a week to reach its scheduled station is hard to believe and requires a thorough investigation...,” it said.

11. The movement of trains requires thorough investigation -NHRC

The Commission observed that the Railways’ attitude towards the migrant workers “borders on barbarism”.

12. The attitude of the railways towards migrants has been barbaric-NHRC

“The labourers cannot be treated in such an inhuman manner, just because they are poor and the government has paid for their tickets,” the NHRC said.

13.The labourers cannot be treated in an inhuman manner-NHRC

Congress has been raising concerns of  the migrants who have turned jobless due to the lockdown

14.Congress has been raising concerns of migrants

The government has been ignoring the migrants who struggle hard for survival

15. Government ignored the migrants