Stranded Nepali migrant workers protest against Nepal govt near border in U'khand
May 21, 2020
Champawat (Uttarakhand) [India], May 21 : Hundreds of stranded Nepali migrant workers gathered near the India-Nepal border in Banbasa town of Champawat district here on Thursday protesting against the Nepal government.
These migrant workers raised slogans against Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli and urged the government of the neighbouring country to take them back.
"We have been stranded in India ever since the lockdown. We want to go home but the Nepal government is not helping us in any way. We want to say that we are ready to do whatever we are directed, be it staying in quarrentine," a migrant worker protesting here said.
He said that they are left with no money or food to support their families due to lockdown. "We are left with no other choice but to stay in the open during this lockdown. We want to urge the Nepal government to transport us back to our country," the migrant worker said.
"This is the nepal border. Nepali migrants are gathering here different states of the country. We are arranging shelter and food for as many people as possible. Around 500 more Nepali migrants have come here since last night and more are coming," Deputy Collector Dayanand Saraswati said.
He said that the administration of Nepal has been informed about the development and added that the forces at the ground level are awaiting further directions in the matter.
On the other hand, BJP MP Ajay Bhatt said that he will discuss the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah soon.
"I had talked to Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and am going to talk to Home Minister Amit Shah about it. The issue is that Nepal has not given permission to take their migrant workers back," Bhatt said.
He said that Nepal migrants have gathered near the border from across the country. "These migrant workers have travel passes for this region but they have IDs of Nepal. I urge District Magistrate or authorities concerned across the country to make passes after checking identity cards. People are coming here in trucks but Nepal government is not taking them back. If these people are stopped in the district they were in, this problem will not get worse," Bhatt said.
