Hansal Mehta anxious about the migrants amid COVID-19 lockdown

The ongoing lockdown, owing to the pandemic coronavirus, has left filmmaker Hansal Mehata in anxious thoughts. Pointing out the plight of the migrants in big cities, Mehta said it is nothing but an exploitation of the poor.

Mumbai: Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has taken to social media to share the plight of migrants who have started walking from Mumbai, Pune and other big cities to their homes in other parts of Maharashtra as well as other states of the country amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.

Most of these migrants are daily wage labourers who are desperately attempting to get home during this period and have resorted to walking because lockdown does not permit traveling in vehicles and passenger trains are also closed.

The filmmaker tweeted informing about one such group which he spotted this morning at Malavli station, near Pune.

In a series of tweets posted on Saturday afternoon, he shared: "Was near the railway station buying medicines. The tracks are filled with migrants walking home towards Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Hyderabad and to so many villages in and outside Maharashtra. They begin walking at 5 am. They stay at platforms late evening hoping to find some food."

"They find drinking water on the way, go hungry all day unless somebody helps out with biscuits or if they're lucky, food. Many of them have left the city without being paid their wages by contractors/employers. This is the India story. Exploitation of the poor," he added.

The director also shared that he is helping them with food, water and other necessities for their journey.

"These people work hard to keep our cities running. They are the nameless, faceless other that we desperately need but give a f*** about when their usefulness has gone past its expiry date. We try to help here with food, water and basic supplies for their onward journey."

"But it is very little help. And very late," regretted the filmmaker in a separate tweet.

With inputs from IANS.