On the Covid 19 issue- Most of PM Modi’s political detractors were shouting that there is a big problem of migrant workers, who have stuck up in their work city and all of them want to return to their home state, and govt should make arrangement for their travel. During Lockdown 1 UP had send buses to transport the migrant workers who were stuck up Delhi Border. Recently there was news that Punjab had send buses to take back the Punjabi devotees who were stuck up in Gurudwara Hazur Sahib at Nanded in Maharashtra. Yesterday, the central govt announced that migrant workers can return to their home state, and it is responsibility of the state govt to bring back the workers, in consultation with the state govt, where these workers are stuck. Presently the movement of migrant workers can be by road only. Secondly, before allowing the workers to go back, the host state govt has to medically check the workers, and if found positive for covid 19 virus then he can not be send back. Similarly when the workers reach their home state again they will have to go for medical test, and/or spend 14 days in quarantine.
Now the ball is in the court of respective CMs. All the CMs have discussed this problem with PM, and requested that the issue should be solved. So PM has very wisely put the onus bac to CMs only, one state govt sends the vehicles to other state and bring back the migrant workers. The complete logistics for transfer has to be worked by both the state govts.
The problem is going to be huge, consider the state of Maharashtra, as per the statement of CM, there are approx 5 lakhs Bihari workers working in Maharashtra. Now we do not know out of these 5 lakhs how many of them want to go back to Bihar. Suppose even 50% of them want to go back, can you think how many bus trips will be required to take these 2.5 lakhs workers back, with required protection of safe distancing. Which means a bus will not be able to carry more than 40 person at time, so it means that more than 6000 bus trip will be required to transport 50% of migrant workers back from state of Maharashtra to state of Bihar. Similar will be the situation for the state of UP also.
It is difficult to imagine the chaos it will create all over the country when interstate movement of migrant workers start. In my opinion best course would have been the status quo position, ie migrant workers stay where they are. Secondly when the situation improves, the so called migrant workers are not going to find any work in their home state because if there was work in first place they would not have left their home state at the first instance. I do not understand why some state govts are finding it difficult to take care of migrant workers, after all they are also Indian and contributing to state’s exhequer, what difference does it make whether their birth state is Bihar/UP or Maharashtra. The best scenario should have been that state govt should have requested central govt for compensation for taking care of migrant workers during covid 19 crisis.
Second news is concerning CM of Maharashtra Udhav Thackarey. As you all are aware that CM is neither a member of legislative assembly (MLA) nor a member of legislative council (MLC). So to remain a CM has to be elected as a MLA or MLC within 6 months of his swearing in, the 6 month is going to get over on 28th May 2020. But as MLC election which were to be held on 24th Apr 2020 , have been indefinitely postponed due to corona virus pandemic. So Shiv Sena and other parties of coalition govt, ie Congress and NCP are requesting governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari to nominate Udhav Thackarey to MLC, as governor has power to nominate 2 persons to MLC.
Actually the govt has power to two persons from eminent field like art, education etc, whether he can nominate a politician, who is CM also is not clear. Article 164 (4) of the Constitution mandates that a minister or CM has to be ELECTED as a member of the assembly or council within 6 months of assuming office. There is no mention that minister or CM can be nominated from governor’s quota. Now CM is becoming so desperate that he yesterday called PM Modi on this issue, and requested his intervention in this matter.
Lastly Bollywood has lost 2 legends in two days. Yesterday the actor par excellence Irrfan Khan expired and today morning the evergreen Rishi Kapoor expired. R I P.
Waiting for your views/feed backs/ comments.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
30th Apr 2020.
R. N. Mungale.
Irfan Khan was a great actor. R. I. P. Rishi Kaput will always be remembered as evergreen .