ABSTRACT
District Magistrate tweeted after facing an uproar from the civil society for the inhumane treatment of the migrant workers whose lives have become more vulnerable than ever since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown of 21 days on March 24 to fight the spread of Covid-19. The western state of India closed all non-essential services till March 31 before Modi announced lockdown which resulted in an exodus of migrant workers. The report mentions, “for Indians who drive rickshaws or run food stalls, the economic shock of such control measures has been huge, pushing them to leave for family homes where they typically do not pay rent and food is cheaper”. The pernicious situation of the migrant workers caught the attention of United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet who, in a statement, urged the Indian government to treat the migrants with respect as they are already in a vulnerable position due to their social standing.
