Hundreds of migrant workers hit streets in Kerala seeking

Seeking transportation to travel to their native places, hundreds of migrant workers on Sunday hit the streets near Changanassery violating the 21-day lockdown announced by the government to prevent spread of novel coronavirus. Soon after the incident was reported from Payippad village, a shocked Kerala government quickly stepped in to defuse the tension by deploying police force and sending Kottayam district authorities to pacify the agitating migrant workers, who are called guest labourers in the state.

The Kottayam district Collector and Superintendent of Police held talks with the agitating migrant workers on the streets of Payippad village town and managed to send them back to their camps. They assured them that all facilities would be provided for their comfortable stay in the state during the lockdown period but rejected their demand for travel facilities citing directives issued by the Central government banning movement of people outside the dwelling place.

"They are saying that they want to go to their native places. That is practically impossible", district Collector P K Sudheer Babu told reporters after talking to the workers. Officials said the workers demanded traveling facilities as being arranged for the people in other states including Delhi.

"They did not raise any issues regarding food or shelters. Their only demand is traveling facilities to their native places," an official said. Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran sought the Centre's intervention to sort out the problem.

"If special trains are arranged for their travel, we will be able to facilitate it," Surendran said. Kerala Minister P Thilothaman said food, water and shelter were being provided for the migrant workers.

He alleged "a conscious effort" behind the violation of the lockdown by the migrant workers in Payippad.PTI TGB SS PTI PTI.