Every person across the country has been affected by the pandemic. But sadly, the worst-hit of the lot are the migrant workers. For them, this lockdown is a nightmare without money, resources, food or even a home.
To avoid dying without any resources, most of these migrant workers are forced to walk long distances to their home states due to the unavailibility of transport.
One among them is differently-abled Ajay Kumar Saket. This 30-year-old man’s right leg is infected with polio. He can only walk using a cane below his shoulder to move ahead. But, he is forced to walk to his local village in Madhya Pradesh which is 1200 kilometres away from where he resides currently i.e. Mumbai.
According to India Today, Ajay resides in Turbhe area of Navi Mumbai and ran a small stall to earn a livelihood. But after the lockdown, he had to shut his stall and was left with no food and no source of income to buy himself anything.
After being asked about registering and waiting for the govt. train which is taking migrants back home, Saket answered,
I had registered for the Shramik train five days ago, I also got a medical certificate, but couldn’t wait any longer as there was no food and I felt, I won’t survive if I stayed here any longer.
Ajay along with a few more were seen covering the distance without food or water. When asked how does he plan to cover the entire distance without resources, he acknowledged a few good citizens who gave them packets of biscuits and water and hopes to find more such people along the way.
Just like Ajay, hundreds of migrants have been covering thousands of kilometres to reach their native homes. Sadly, even after many such cases these ‘invisible citizens’ are overlooked by the government. They are not only neglected, but are deprived of their basic rights.
H/T : India Today