MHA vs Mamata: Letters from Bengal CS to 4 southern States on Shramik trains accessed

The West Bengal government and the Centre have locked horns over the repatriation of migrants workers, with Home Minister Amit Shah writing to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her government's alleged inaction over the migrant distress in Bengal and the State government charging back by putting out a draft schedule of trains that it has requested from other States to ferry back migrants.

Republicworld has now accessed letters written by West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha to his counterparts in four southern states — Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana — and giving the go-ahead for running trains with Bengal-bound migrants.

READ | HM Amit Shah Writes To Bengal CM Mamata Over 'inaction' On Proper Movement Of Migrants

Consent to run trains give on May 7

In separate letters to Karnataka Principal Secretary, Tamil Nadu and Telangana Chief Secretaries, Rajiv Sinha had on May 7 given consent to run one train from their respective States carrying stranded migrants from Bengal. Likewise, Sinha wrote to Kerala Principal Secretary and State Nodal officer for inter-state transit with the same clearing on May 3.

Provide details of migrants, plan departure

In those letters, Sinha had asked the authorities there to provide details of the passengers and their destinations in West Bengal so that necessary arrangement for intra-state transportation as well as train stoppages within the State can be planned.

"The departure (of the train) may be so planned that it reaches the State (Bengal) on 10^th May 2020 or thereafter but in any case during day time," the letter read. 

READ | Mamata Govt Counters MHA's Claim, Lists 8 Trains & ‘draft Schedule’ Meant For Migrants

Amit Shah writes to Mamata

Previously, Republic TV had reported that Amit Shah wrote to CM Mamata Banerjee alleging that her government is not allowing the entry of Shramik special trains for movement of migrants. Shah also demanded an answer on the Mamata government's inaction over the migrants' distress in Bengal.

Mamata responds

Responding to this, the Mamata government put out a draft schedule of trains that it has requested from other States to ferry migrants back. The list shows only eight trains while the Centre has said that it has operated more than 200 trains till Friday. The government has only one special train that is due to depart from Hyderabad on Friday to reach Maldah English Bazaar station by Sunday afternoon carrying 17,211 people.

READ | Adhir Ranjan Slams West Bengal Govt For Lacking Prompt Assistance To Migrant Workers

Bengal orders only 2 trains

However, as per details accessed by Republic TV, a chart for trains that terminated at various States till 9 AM on Saturday shows that even as 265 trains operated across India, only two trains terminated in West Bengal. This, given the fact that Bengal has a large chunk of its people residing in other States as migrant workers.

READ | Prove allegations or apologise: TMC on Amit Shah's letter to Mamata over migrants' trains