By Arré Bench May. 28, 2020
A four-and-a-half-year-old child died at the Muzaffarpur railway station, even as his father, Maqsood Alam, desperately tried to hunt for milk that he believed would save the child. Expectedly, it led to a game of “pass the parcel” when blame was to be assigned.
After media reports of migrants walking hundreds of kilometers and not having adequate food and water, the government finally caved in and started running a fleet of “Shramik trains” to get them back home. However, the long rail journeys are not shorn of absolute chaos, as no less than 40 trains have had to be diverted to faraway places and passengers have not been provided food and water in the scorching heat, even leading to around 10 deaths.
The gut-wrenching video of a child trying to wake up his mother who died of hunger and dehydration is bound to shake one’s conscience. There is little doubt that we have colossally failed to take care of the most vulnerable in society.
The child is trying to wake up the mother who died of hunger & dehydration in the train. These visuals are of Muzaffarpur Station in Bihar and they were coming from Gujarat.
These are institutional deaths, @PiyushGoyal and you & your Govt is to be blamed. Shame on you people! pic.twitter.com/vZZWPifFRK
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) May 27, 2020
In another shocking incident reported by Hindustan Times featuring Shramik trains, a four-and-a-half-year-old son of migrants based in Delhi died at the railway station while his father desperately hunted for milk that he believed would save the child.
Maqsood Alam worked as a painter until the lockdown left him jobless, forcing the family to leave their rented accommodation in Delhi and head back home. Accompanied by his wife and son, Alam had hoped to reach his village in West Champaran on Monday, when Eid would be celebrated. The child had fallen ill because of the oppressive heat and by the time it reached Muzaffarpur junction, his condition had deteriorated considerably. “I ran pillar to post searching for some milk for my son. The administration took too long to respond and the child lost the battle for life,” alleged Alam.
Migrants’ kid dies as father hunts for milk at railway stationhttps://t.co/WTrg5LVFrB pic.twitter.com/RAWWMFmni4
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) May 27, 2020
“The child had died before the train pulled up at the platform here and we rushed as soon as we got information,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Railway, Ramakant Upadhyay. The story aptly angered social media and there was biting criticism towards those who had left migrants on their own.
“This and several such visuals don’t stir our conscience? Can we still sleep in our peaceful abodes ? A human being is not killed! Humanity is being murdered under our eyes,” said Zafar Sareshwala, Former Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University.
A 4 year old Child dies because the poor migrant father cannot get milk ! This 👇and several such visuals don’t stir our Conscience? Can we still sleep in our peaceful abodes ? A Humanbeing is not killed! Humanity is being murdered under our eyes 👀 https://t.co/b95l1KHDNK
— zafar sareshwala (@zafarsareshwala) May 28, 2020
Another Twitter user, Ram Subramanian asked why trains weren’t running as they did earlier. “Why don’t we allow them to travel back to their homes in peace? What sadistic pleasure are we deriving from the suffering of the migrant class, the most poor and hopeless section of India?” he asked.
Heart breaking. Why don’t we just let trains run as it did? Why don’t we allow them to travel back to their homes in peace?
What sadistic pleasure are we deriving from the suffering of the migrant class, the most poor and hopeless section of India? https://t.co/u2OeqFRjD1— Ram Subramanian (@VORdotcom) May 28, 2020
At a time when around 40 trains had to be diverted and around 10 people have lost their lives, one would expect sensitivity, if not answers and accountability from the Railway Minister. But Piyush Goyal was busy sharing “intricate work of music and art” from West Bengal on his Twitter account, which came under heavy criticism.
Showcasing an intricate work of music & art, take a look at a Patachitra, ancient folk art of West Bengal.
Singing a beautiful song while unfurling a vivid painting, the artist has creatively depicted how health workers are taking care of the people during the COVID-19 times. pic.twitter.com/SYedePVYqk
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 27, 2020
“Do you feel any regret?” asked journalist Vidya Krishnan.
Did you hear about how passengers were struggling for dodo, water, clean toilets, to the extent at atleast 9 died making the journey, on your watch.
Do you feel any regret? Shame?
— Vidya (@VidyaKrishnan) May 28, 2020
Is this the priority of the moment, asked another user.
I am sorry Respected Piyush Goyal ! But I have 2 say it !
Is this is d priority at dis moment of devastating on going man made crisis ?
U left with no shame ? How badly a well known & established railway network is managing?
U know d word "mess up " will shy if I use that!😡
— Ankith AK (@inmalky) May 28, 2020
We couldn’t take care of migrants when they were in other states, the least we can do is ensure they reach home safely with food to eat and water to drink.
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