'Migrants drugged and forced to work', MHA informs Punjab govt; seeks action

In a key development, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has written a letter to the Punjab Government in relation to a report of Border Security Force, wherein it has informed the ministry about 58 Indian nationals from the border areas, who it apprehended were given drugs and forced to work as bonded labourers. 

In the letter, the MHA stated, "Border Security Force has informed the ministry that they had apprehended 58 Indian nationals from the border areas of Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozpur and Abohar Punjab in the years 2019 and 2020."

"During the course of the questioning, it emerged that most of them were either mentally challenged or were in a feeble state of mind and have been working as bonded labourers with farmers in border villages of Punjab," the MHA added. 

As per the information received by the MHA, they hail from the remote areas of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and belonged to the low-income group before they were hired by trafficking syndicated on the promise of a good salary in Punjab, which they never got. Instead, they were subjected to exploitation, inhuman treatment. 

The MHA quoting the BSF, further claimed, "For making them work for long hours in fields, they were often given drugs, which adversely affected their physical and mental condition."

Apprehended people handed over to the police

The BSF, keeping in mind the present situation, has handed over the apprehended people to the police for necessary action. Informing the Punjab government about the same, and demanding action, the MHA wrote," In view of the multi-dimensional and overwhelming enormity of the problem, which involves human, trafficking, bonded labour and human rights violation, you are requested to look into the matter and take appropriate measures to address this serious problem. 

(with inputs from ANI)