Hundreds of migrant workers gathered in Surat on Tuesday evening, demanding that they be sent to their native places despite lockdown, police said.
The migrant workers gathered in Varachha area of the city and sat on a road demanding that they be allowed to go to their native places, police said.
Varachha is the diamond polishing hub of Surat, giving employment to lakhs of workers from different parts of Gujarat and the country. Many textile units are also located here.
"These migrant workers want to go to their native places. We have asked them not to be impatient because a lockdown is in force at present.
"Since some of them were complaining about food, we have called an NGO and immediately brought food packets for them. The situation is now under control," a police officer at the spot told reporters.
Local MLA and minister of state for health Kishor Kanani went to the spot to convince the migrant workers, who are mostly from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
"These migrant workers want to go home. They became impatient because they were hopeful that the lockdown will end today," he said.
Surat MLA Harsh Sanghavi took to Twitter to state that the administration were 'working round the clock' to sort out the situation.
"We are putting all our efforts to help them. Every person stuck in Surat because of lockdown is like our own brother and sister. Things are sorted and clear here. Our administration is working round the clock to ensure best of everything for them. 'Surat' is like a home to them," he tweeted.
We are putting all our efforts to help them.Every person stuck in Surat because of lockdown is like our own brother and sister.Things are sorted and clear here.Our administration is working round the clock to ensure best of everything for them."Surat" is like a home to them pic.twitter.com/jT0Gdn4CNh— Harsh Sanghavi (@sanghaviharsh) April 14, 2020
"Labourers had gathered and wanted to go back to their home states. We explained to them that lockdown is extended so no vehicular movement is possible. They also complained that they're not getting food. We called an agency which is serving food. We're requesting people to take it", the DCP of Surat was quoted as saying by ANI.
Gujarat: A large group of migrant labourers had gathered in Surat today, demanding permission to return to their native states. They later dispersed after police intervened and persuaded them to vacate the area & return to the place of their stay. pic.twitter.com/PCizDmykBV— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2020
Labourers gathered&wanted to go back to their home states. We explained to them that lockdown is extended so no vehicular movement is possible. They also complained that they're not getting food. We called an agency which is serving food. We're requesting ppl to take it:DCP Surat pic.twitter.com/IQVZLovEcZ— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2020
Migrant workers staged violent protests in Surat on Friday, demanding that they be sent to native places despite lockdown.
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