About 4K ‘tortured’ migrant labourers return from Odisha

Kolkata: Following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent interaction with her Odisha counterpart Mohan Charan Majhi concerning “torture” of migrant labourers who went to the neighbouring state for work, about 4,000 workers have returned to Bengal.

There were allegations of migrant labourers from Bengal, working in Odisha, being subjected to assault and torture for the last few days under the suspicion that they

are Bangladeshis.

“We have information that over 4,000 labourers who went to earn their livelihood from East Midnapore, Malda, Birbhum and Murshidabad in Odisha have already returned, among whom officially we have a list of around 500 such labourers who hail mainly from Murshidabad and Birbhum district,” said Md. Ripan, member of West Bengal Migrant Workers Welfare Board. Ripan alleged that labourers from Sagardighi, Shamsherganj, who have already returned, claimed that even after furnishing Aadhaar cards they were tortured and their cards branded “fake”. Banerjee had sought cooperation from Majhi to bring back these workers in the state and the latter had assured that such incidents will not take place further. The incidents had come to light from various parts of Odisha such as Alugadi, Panpada, Sikharchandi etc. A viral video on social media (which has not been verified by this newspaper) purportedly showed some people demanding Aadhaar cards from a person on a bicycle selling articles made of plastic. He was beaten up for failing to furnish the same.

A helpline number 1800103009 was opened where migrant workers from any part of the state can call and seek assistance. In March, there were reports of similar incidents from Bhadrak in Odisha when in the backdrop of CAA ,20 odd migrant workers from Bengal ‘s Murshidabad were allegedly beaten up under the suspicion of being Bangladeshi.