Country passing through toughest of times: Harsh Mander says in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: A district-level conference of migrant workers was held at Mahila Sabha Bhavan, Ambedkar Circle (Jyothi Circle), under the banner of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Dakshina Kannada District Committee.
The event, organised with the call to unite migrant workers and raise issues related to safety, dignity and justice, saw the participation of workers from different backgrounds. The poster of the programme carried the message: “Migrant Workers Are NOT Slaves, NOT Terrorists — They are Workers Who Came to Earn a Living!”
Addressing the gathering, social activist Harsh Mander said the country is passing through a difficult phase and alleged that unorganised workers are among those facing the most serious challenges.
He said that unorganised workers have been repeatedly affected by major policy decisions in recent years. Referring to demonetisation, he questioned its impact on workers who depend on daily earnings. He also spoke about the sudden announcement of the nationwide lockdown during COVID-19 with four hours’ notice, stating that a large number of people in the country live in single-room houses, making physical distancing difficult.
He pointed out that a majority of workers in India are part of the unorganised sector and depend on daily wages. According to him, when work was abruptly stopped during the lockdown, many workers were left without income or support.
Harsh Mander said he had approached the Supreme Court seeking directions that unorganised workers should receive wages during the lockdown period. He stated that the demand was not accepted and alleged that crores of workers were left without adequate assistance, forcing many to return to their native places under harsh conditions.
He further claimed that labour protections have weakened in recent years and said workers were given limited security under new legal changes.
Raising another concern, he said that in the past decade there has been an increasing trend of branding workers as “traitors” or “infiltrators”. He alleged that Muslim labourers in particular were being called “Bangladeshis” and “ghuspetis”. He argued that people migrate in search of livelihood and do not leave their homes without reason.
He said that the term “ghuspeti” suggests conspiracy against the country and added that such labels create fear among workers. Referring to statements made by political leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and some Chief Ministers from the BJP, he said such language contributes to suspicion and division.
Harsh Mander also spoke about incidents where, following terror attacks in Kashmir, Muslim labourers in other parts of the country faced fear and hostility. He urged workers not to see such issues as affecting only one community.
He said that a worker’s primary identity is that of an Indian and a labourer, irrespective of religion. Calling for unity among workers across communities, he said injustice against any worker must be opposed collectively.
He urged the gathering to build solidarity among labourers and concluded his speech with a call to uphold the Constitution.
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One dead in landslide, 235 rescued amid heavy snowfall in J-K’s Kishtwar
Jammu (PTI): One person was killed and another injured in a landslide near a hydro-power project, while over 230 people, including women and children, were evacuated after they were caught in heavy snowfall at the high-altitude Sinthan top in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officials said on Monday.
In view of the inclement weather, the authorities have ordered the closure of all educational institutions outside the municipal limits in Kishtwar and adjoining Doda district for Monday as a precautionary measure, the officials said.
A landslide, triggered by rain, struck a hydro-power project site near Dangduru in Kishtwar district on the intervening night of Sunday-Monday, trapping two workers, the officials said.
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While one worker was later found dead, the other was rescued in an injured condition and shifted to a hospital, they said.
In another incident, the officials said, a joint rescue operation by the police, Army and the civil administration successfully evacuated 38 vehicles carrying 235 passengers to safety amid heavy snowfall at the Sinthan Top connecting Kishtwar in Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
“On March 15, information was received that 235 civilians were stranded at Sinthan top due to heavy snowfall and severe weather conditions. Troops of the White Knight Corps were immediately mobilised to launch a swift rescue operation despite the treacherous terrain and relentless snowfall.
“Braving extreme weather and snow-blocked roads, the rescue teams reached Sinthan top and provided the stranded civilians with hot meals, drinking water and shelter. Repair and recovery teams restored the mobility of the stranded vehicles, while passengers from the unrecoverable vehicles were safely evacuated.
“Medical teams rendered assistance and essential medicines to those in need,” the White Knight Corps said in a post on X.
“The mission witnessed seamless coordination between the Army, J-K Police and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation, reaffirming the Army’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives in the harshest conditions,” the post added.
Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma, along with SSP Naresh Singh and the commanding officer of the 11 Rashtriya Rifles, supervised the rescue operation, which continued for several hours, the officials said.
