Migrant workers stage flash protest in Chennai defying COVID-19 lockdown curbs

The workers, mostly involved in construction activities and housed at various facilities here, converged at locations, including Velachery, Pozhichallur and Guindy Industrial Estate.
Workers from a private construction firm at Guindy Industrial Estate in Chennai protested against the poor supply of ration and urged authorities to send them back home. (photo| Martin Louis/ EPS)
Workers from a private construction firm at Guindy Industrial Estate in Chennai protested against the poor supply of ration and urged authorities to send them back home. (photo| Martin Louis/ EPS)

CHENNAI: Defying curbs and norms like physical distancing, migrant workers on Saturday staged a flash protest at multiple locations here, demanding that authorities send them to their home states like Jharkhand immediately and they are likely to be sent back expeditiously, an official said.

The workers, mostly involved in construction activities and housed at various facilities here, converged at locations, including Velachery, Pozhichallur and Guindy Industrial Estate, demanding that they be sent home, he said.

A large gathering of workers from various states, including Odisha and Jharkhand engaged in various construction activities in southern suburbs- staged a demonstration at Pozhichallur. Clad in lungies and towels and sans face masks, they raised slogans, demanding that the authorities send them home.

Police and revenue officials assured them that their demand would be considered expeditiously. Another protest was held at the Five Furlong Road junction in Velachery. The protests led to anxiety for a while, the official said, adding that officials pacified the workers and sent them back to their respective locations of stay.

One more group of labourers gathered in front of the construction site at Guindy. Government authorities indicated that the return of guest workers was being planned and their journey to their home states through trains will be scheduled soon.

However, the authorities remained tight lipped about the timing, hinting at the possibility of huge crowds of workers turning up simultaneously.

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The New Indian Express
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