Coronavirus Update- Migrant Workers Protest In Surat, Police Persuade Them To Vacate Area

Amidst the lockdown imposed due the novel coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of migrant workers gathered in Varachha area of Surat on Tuesday evening, demanding that they be sent to their native places despite lockdown.

Varachha is the diamond polishing hub of Surat, giving employment to lakhs of workers from different parts of Gujarat and the country. Many textile units are also located here.

"These migrant workers want to go to their native places. We have asked them not to be impatient because a lockdown is in force at present.

"Since some of them were complaining about food, we have called an NGO and immediately brought food packets for them. The situation is now under control," a police officer at the spot told reporters.

Local MLA and minister of state for health Kishor Kanani went to the spot to convince the migrant workers, who are mostly from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

"These migrant workers want to go home. They became impatient because they were hopeful that the lockdown will end today," he said.The Police intervened and persuaded them to vacate the area and return to the place of their stay. "Labourers gathered & wanted to go back to their home states. We explained to them that lockdown is extended so no vehicular movement is possible. They also complained that they're not getting food. We called an agency which is serving food. We're requesting ppl to take it," said DCP Surat.

In a similar incident in Mumbai's Bandra West, over 1,000 migrant workers who earn daily wages gathered demanding transport arrangements to go back to their native places, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the coronavirus-enforced curbs till May 3.

The gathering in suburban Bandra, in violation of lockdown norms, created a potential law and order situation for an overstretched police force and the men in uniform resorted to mild force to scatter the crowd.

A police official said the migrants, who assembled around 3 pm, were dispersed two hours later and have been assured accommodation and food till the lockdown lasts.

Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus positive cases in the country rose to 10,815 (including 9272 active cases, 1190 cured/discharged/migrated and 353 deaths), said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday evening.

Just In: More than 500 migrant workers gathered in Surat’s Varachha area demanding that they be allowed to return their home. They are migrants employed in textiles embroidery units in Surat. @the_hindu @nistula @abaruah64 pic.twitter.com/TdC1IWEfDT

— Mahesh Langa (@LangaMahesh) April 14, 2020