122 migrant labourers head back home after Mamata's intervention

Kolkata: At least 122 migrant labourers from Kashmir are on their way home in Bengal with the help of the state government that has gone out of its way to locate them even from the remotest corners of the northern state and purchased railway tickets for them so that they can return to their families safely.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is said to be personally monitoring their movement along with two state government officials who have been engaged to maintain liaison with the government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Questioning the BJP's stand on the issue, the Chief Minister on Friday stated: "If everyone has right to go and work everywhere in India then why the poor innocent workers from Bengal had to be killed."

She also claimed that Bengalis have the right to go anywhere for work like "those people from other states who come to work in Bengal and live here peacefully."

The workers who are coming back mainly hail from South Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Murshidabad and Malda. Two senior officials emphasised that those who are returning seem to be in unimaginable trauma and panic due to the recent string of incidents.

The decision to bring back the workers was taken after five migrant workers were brutally killed by terrorists at Kulgam district in South Kashmir. Another worker who received bullet injuries is battling for life at a hospital there.

The Chief Minister has termed the murder of the labourers "pre-planned" and demanded a thorough probe. The state government has handed over Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. Suvendu Adhikari, the state Transport minister, visited the houses of the deceased and gave the cheques to their family members.

Firhad Hakim, the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister accompanied the coffin of the workers to their native village off Sagardighi.

Local farmers said workers from Murshidabad are going to Kashmir for the past four decades to make quick money. Mohammad Alam, a local resident, said: "Never in the past, such a thing has occurred. The labourers work in the apple orchards or are engaged in agriculture. The workers who had been killed were on their way back home. Generally, they stay in Kashmir for two to three months and return home without any hassle," he said. "Now, the families of the workers are in panic and will not allow them to work outside Bengal."

Alam said many workers from Murshidabad work as masons in different parts in the country including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, South India and Gujarat. Many of the masons are experts in repairing old structures, particularly the "havelis" that have "jafris" (cement-made decorations) and door-sized windows. Their families will starve if they are forced to come back home."