Glad we are going back

First batch of 350 youth from Assam take the special train to Bangalore

Rohit Basumatary of Kunkunjhar village in Chirang one of the three violence-hit districts of western Assam is glad that he is heading back to Bangalore again after having fled from there on August 17 in the wake of threats and rumours. One among 350 people who boarded the first special train back to Bangalore on Saturday after having fled from Karnataka in mid-August,the 27-year-old is accompanied by his wife Bhoomika.

I am glad that we are on our journey back to where we not only earn our bread and butter but also send home some money our parents and siblings, said Rohit,who has been working in a garment factory on the outskirts of Bangalore for the past six years. His wife Bhoomika,26,works in a garment showroom in Bangalore.

I have talked to my employer who says the company will not deduct any salary for the days I was absent, said Badan Kakoti of Silapathar in Dhemaji district who is a workman at a factory in Bangalore outskirts. Karnataka Deputy CM R Ashok,during his visit to Assam two weeks ago,had assured that his government had directed all employers to ensure there was no pay-cut for the days their workers from the Northeast were absent.

There were so many others who boarded the special train,like Mukunda Bordoloi of Morigaon district,Khum Bahadur Chettri of Silapathar Dhemaji,Mitu Bora of Nagaon all heading back to their respective work places,trying to wipe out from memory the threats and rumours that resulted in panic and led to a mad rush back home.

Karnataka alone has over three lakh people from Assam and other Northeastern states working in various companies,factories,and the service sector. The Karnataka government had estimated that over 34,000 people from Assam and other Northeastern states had bought tickets from Bangalore to Guwahati and other stations in the state during those four days starting August 15 when panic gripped the people from the region working and studying there.

At least 350 who took the train today were those who had fled from there following panic last month, state Home Secretary G D Tripathi told The Sunday Express.

The special train,which left at 2.35 pm,originally had 17 sleeper coaches. But while there were several regular bookings from various other stations apart from Guwahati,the railways had to add two extra coaches in order to accommodate those who procured current tickets at the eleventh hour.

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It is,however,not that all the passengers aboard the special train were those who had earlier run away from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. While people arrived here from various districts to catch the special train in Guwahati,more were expected to board at five more stations within Assam,these being Rangiya,Nalbari,Barpeta Road,Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar.

While there were a number of regular passengers on the train,we guess that more than 350 were going back to their workplace there. Moreover,more youths are boarding in five other stations before the train moves out of Assam, said Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain who along with Agriculture Minister Nilamoni Sen Deka flagged off the special train.

First visit

A group of 32 men from Dhemaji who boarded the train were on their way to Bangalore for the first time. We are going there for the first time because we have been offered jobs by a local contact, said Dilip Bhuyan. The group is Assam.

Security

A railway official said nine Railway Police personnel and 23 Railway Protection Force personnel were on the train. We have also requested states through which the special train passes to keep an eye on it, minister Rockybul Hussain said.