Making database of Murshidabad men who work in Kashmir to get them back: Bengal minister

india

Updated: Nov 01, 2019 06:32 IST

The West Bengal government has decided to prepare a database of men from the state working in Jammu and Kashmir and will try to bring them back, transport minister Subhendu Adhikari said on Thursday.

Adhikari was in Bahalnagar village, about 230km away from Kolkata, to hand over the cheques of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the five labourers, who were gunned down by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Kulgam district on Tuesday.

“We have asked the local public representatives to prepare a database of those who have gone to work in Kashmir. The state government is committed to bringing them back safely,” Adhikari said in Bahalnagar village in Murshidabad district.

“We are making arrangements to bring them back through airways or railways,” he added.

The minister was accompanied by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.

Adhikari said they have also requested the elected representatives of the district to donate a month’s salary to help the poor families who lost their earning members in the terrorist strike in Kashmir.

Murshalim Sheikh, 45, Naimuddin Sheikh, 42, Rafikul Sheikh, 23, Rafique Sheikh, 45, and Kamruddin Sheikh, 35, were dragged out by three or four unidentified gunmen in south Kashmir’s Kulgam’s Katrasoo village and shot dead.

Johiruddin Sarkar was wounded in the fifth attack in two weeks on non-Kashmiris in J&K.

“Johiruddin, who was injured, is now undergoing treatment at a Kashmir hospital. We would bring him back home as soon as he feels better,” said the minister.

The 22-year-old worker, he said, has requested the government for a job since he does not want to go back to Kashmir. Johiruddin got married just a couple of months ago.

“We would arrange a job that can provide two square meals a day for his family,” said the minister.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit president Dilip Ghosh hit out at the Mamata Banerjee-led government for failing to provide work to the poor.

“We launch attacks on Pakistan and Mamata Banerjee launches attacks on the Centre. Many persons are killed here (in Bengal). Aren’t they Bengalis? Why is the ruling party highlighting the Bengali identity of those who were killed in Kashmir?” Ghosh asked.

“The chief minister should first ensure that locals can earn their bread in the state and don’t have to migrate in search of work,” he said.

The minister of state for labour Jakir Hossain countered the BJP leader.

“Thousands come to Bengal in search of living from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Is it because the BJP government in those states are unable to provide them with earning opportunities? All over the country, people migrate from one state to another in search of work depending on their skill sets,” Hossain said.

Despite the assistance and assurance from the administration, the wailing did not stop in Bahalnagar village on Thursday as thousands turned up for the funeral of the five workers.

Kolkata mayor and minister Firhad Hakim brought the bodies of all those killed to the village at around 5am.

The burial took place in the afternoon. Locals raised money to cook for the thousands who came from other villages to witness the burial.

One of the workers in the group, Basirul Sarkar, who escaped certain death simply because he went to buy food when the terrorists struck, also returned to Kolkata on Wednesday night and was admitted to the trauma centre of state-run SSKM Hospital.

“I had gone out to buy food. When I returned there was none in the room. A shopkeeper told me to escape. I took shelter in a nearby house and could hear gunshots,” Basirul Sarkar told a television channel.

Basirul’s son Maqbul Sarkar said his father had gone to Kashmir about 28 days ago.

“He is the sole bear earner for our family of five. We had no information about him and apprehended that he, too, might have been killed,” he said.

CPI(M) leader Biman Bose said there are many migrant workers who are still in Kashmir.

“The Centre should take steps to ensure adequate security,” he said.

“Why is Union home minister Amit Shah silent on the death of the five workers from Bengal?” remarked minister Firhad Hakim, who accompanied the bodies to the village.

Police in Jammu and Kashmir have said terrorists from the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group were suspected to be behind the killing of the labourers.