Trinamul and BJP leaders got into a war of words on Saturday over the deaths of 23 migrant workers from Malda in Mizoram.
While Trinamul leaders slammed the railways for being “apathetic” towards the deceased and raised questions over the role of the governor, the saffron camp trained guns at the state and said the chief minister didn’t find time to meet the bereaved families.
Samirul Islam, the Trinamul Rajya Sabha member, said there was negligence on the part of the railways even in sending the bodies.
“The way in which the bodies were sent proves the inhumanity on the part of the railways. There is a medical procedure before bodies are sent from a far-off place. But in this case, no such procedure was followed as the bodies were sent from Mizoram. Most of the bodies had decomposed. We will write to the railways on this,” said Islam, also the chairman of the state migrant workers' welfare board.
Sabina Yeasmin, an MLA from Malda and minister of state in the NB development department, criticised governor C.V. Ananda Bose.
“His visit to Malda was politically motivated. Of 23 families who lost their near and dear ones, he met only 13 families. He could find time to attend some other events in the district but didn’t go to Malda Medical College & Hospital once to pay respect to the deceased workers. Some of the bodies had reached there by Friday evening,” said Yeasmin.
After the incident, not a single BJP leader from the district turned up at the homes of the deceased workers, pointed out the minister.
“It seems they are apprehensive of facing the families disgruntled with the lapses on the part of railways at the construction site which claimed so many lives. That is why the governor was engaged (to visit some homes),” she added.
On Friday, while Bose was visiting Malda, he denied commenting on the allegations levelled by Trinamul. “Instead of criticism, we should all stand together with families who have lost precious human lives,” he had said.
Ujjwal Dutta, the BJP chief of Malda north (organisational district), said: "The governor came and stood by the bereaved families, but the chief minister could not find time to do so."
"Also, railway authorities were quick to disburse the compensation of Rs 10 lakhs but so far, the state has not paid a meagre Rs 2 lakh in compensation to the families. Trinamul leaders should first answer why people from our state go to other states for jobs,” he said.
Since Friday night and till Saturday morning, the mortal remains of 22 deceased workers had been handed over to their families.
Tafid Ali, who returned with the body of his son Sahin Akhtar, said they had left for Mizoram on August 3 to earn more money.
“On the fateful day, I was working in the basement of the under-construction bridge, supplying materials to my son who was working at the top with others. Suddenly, the bridge was crashing with a deafening sound and my son was falling down, yelling for help. Later, we found his body,” said the father.
Malda district magistrate Nitin Singhania said that till Saturday morning, 22 bodies had reached the district. "The body of another worker is on the way,” he said.
Another death
A 28-year-old migrant worker died in Cooch Behar in an accident on Saturday. Sources said Mafizul Haque, from Choto Boalmari area of Dinhata subdivision, was a construction worker in Ahmedabad.
Haque, who had just reached his native district, had taken an auto-rickshaw to reach home from Cooch Behar town. On the way, Haque fell off the auto-rickshaw at Garopara and was hit by a state bus that was behind the auto. He died of his injuries.
