Crisis of Safety: Trinamool Congress Highlights Migrant Worker Concerns

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday voiced serious concerns over the death of a Bengali migrant woman in Gujarat. The incident, involving 38-year-old Sonamoni Bairagya from Purba Bardhaman district, highlights what the TMC describes as a 'deepening crisis of safety' for workers from West Bengal in BJP-controlled states.

Bairagya, who was employed as a hotel attendant in Gujarat, was found dead in a restaurant. The TMC alleges a troubling pattern of crimes against Bengali migrant workers, referencing the recent murder of another migrant, Sukhen Mahato, in Maharashtra. The party accuses the BJP of attempting to 'downplay the gravity' of such cases.

The TMC links Bairagya's migration to Gujarat to the suspension of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in West Bengal, describing it as an 'economic blockade' imposed by the central government. Family members suspect foul play, despite hotel authorities in Gujarat claiming she died by suicide. An investigation is ongoing.