Bengaluru top cop seeks public opinion on how to manage migrant workers amid lockdown

Bengaluru, 15 April 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: With the nationwide lockdown extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday till May 3 triggering mayhem in Mumbai, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has sought opinion from the public on how to  prevent such a situation.

In Mumbai, a large number of migrant workers who earn daily wages came out on the roads in Bandra on Tuesday afternoon, demanding transport arrangements to go back to their native places. 

Bhaskar Rao on Tuesday evening tweeted, “In view of migrants in some parts of country having lost their patience and poured onto streets, may I seek suggestions from you all as to how we could keep these large numbers engaged, be empathetic and maintain social distance too...Ideas to prevent Law and Order problems.”

The tweet by the city police chief prompted many suggestions from the public on how to comfort and gain the confidence of the migrants during the crisis.

Many of them suggested that food, shelter and some monetary assistance be given to the migrant workers to which the police chief said that it has already been provided.

One of the responses to the tweet pointed out how some of these workers might be out of prepaid balance on their phone and that they have no means to recharge them as no shops are open.

Others suggested that strict monitoring is required to ensure that the people who are stranded away from their hometowns are not provoked and always staying in touch with them to gain their confidence.

Former Karnataka Chief Secretary Ratna Prabha suggested that these workers could be grouped on the basis of the state they belong to and be engaged in creative activities.

Many also suggested that transport arrangements should be made to take them back safely to their native places after carrying out medical screening.

Senior advocate and activist Leo Saldanha, however, criticised the move by the police chief saying that Twitter was not the right place for the discussion.  He pointed out that a meeting led by Chief Secretary Vijaya Bhaskar along with other top bureaucrats and civil society members was held recently, but decisions taken in the meeting were not followed up.