Bihar workers hold rally in Botad

Around 400 labourers from Bihar held a rally in Botad town on Friday, demanding immediate arrangements for them to travel back to their natives. Before situation could get out of hand, the police stopped them at a market and convinced them to wait for confirmation of travel arrangements from the authorities.
“After we persuaded them to return to their labour colonies with the promise to send them back to their state after the government there grants the permission, the labourers went back,” said an official from Botad police station.The labourers wanted to go to the collectorate to make a representation. However, they dispersed after the police intervened. Officials said that migrants are stuck because approvals for sending them back are pending from the Bihar government since May 10. "The medical check-up of these migrants has been done and buses to ferry them to the railway station are also ready,” said an official. "There is a delay because the Bihar government has not given approvals for trains," he said. tnn