Migrants throw stones, ask for food, transport at Madhya Pradesh border
Violence broke out in Sendhwa, a town located on the Madhya Pradesh- Maharashtra border on Thursday (May 14), after hundreds of irate migrants, en route to northern states, threw stones at the police stationed there and held traffic to ransom, demanding food and transport facilities, reported NDTV.
Thousands of migrants take the route through Sendhwa to cross over to Madhya Pradesh and move to their respective states, mostly Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in buses and trucks.
According to the report, many of the stone throwers alleged that the Madhya Pradesh government had made no arrangement of food and transportation for them.
Related news: Govt: Free food grains for migrants, PDS cards to be portable across states
Many migrants said they are accompanied by children, senior citizens and pregnant women who are having a hard time without food, water and transportation facilities.
“People here are travelling with month-old babies. The Maharashtra government sent us till here, but the MP government is extending no help to us. We have been here since last night, hungry and thirsty,” NDTV quoted Sailesh Tripathi, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, who works in Pune, as saying. Sailesh wants to reach Satna, around 800 km from Sendhwa.
According to district collector Amit Tomar, the stone-pelting took place as some migrants thought there weren’t any vehicles left to ferry them home, after a few buses left.
He told NDTV that the protesting migrants were placated and later sent to transit points in different districts in 135 buses from the border.
Refuting allegations of neglect, he said the district administration is providing food, water and shelter to those who are coming in their own vehicles or other transport modes and ensuring that they reach their destination.
Related news: Will homecoming migrants change the face of politics in Bihar?
According to NDTV, Bijasan Ghat on Sendhwa border sees a congregation of at least 6,000 migrant workers every day. The district administration has provided food to 15,000 labourers in the past three days.
