Rajasthan: At a time when migrant labourers and daily wage earners across the country are struggling to survive, Pakistani migrant families in Rajasthan are particularly having a hard time to make their ends meet.
Mostly employed as daily wage labourers at construction sites or farmlands, these migrants have been out of work ever since the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 24 to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Although Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has directed officials to provide rations to them amid the lockdown, these Pakistani migrant families allege that the help provided is insufficient.
“We came from Pakistan four years ago. We have been facing a shortage of food and other essential items amid the lockdown. We haven’t received any such help yet from the government. We hope that we would be able to get the same assistance as other citizens by the government,” Shankar Lal, a Pakistani migrant living in Jaisalmer told ETV Bharat.
Also read: COVID-19: Total cases in India mount to 21,700; 1,229 new cases reported in last 24 hours
Another migrant worker who migrated from Pakistan five years ago narrated a similar ordeal, “Two days ago we received some food, but it was over in two days. Now we have nothing to eat. We haven’t been able to work because of the lockdown. We are refugees are and request the government to help us.”
Around 7,000 Hindu migrant families from the neighbouring country live in the state and are spread across eight districts including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Pali, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jalore and Sirohi districts.
