Lucknow, Feb 13 (IANS) Attacks on north Indians in Mumbai by activists of the Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have not only forced many to rush back to their homes here but those planning to go to India’s financial capital are also cancelling their visit.
Trains arriving here from Mumbai and some other towns in Maharashtra are packed with a large number of Uttar Pradesh residents who feel the city was “no longer safe” after MNS activists started a campaign against the migrants from north India.
The waiting list of passengers booked on three major trains going from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai had gone substantially down over the past few days since MNS chief Raj Thakeray unleashed the anti-north Indian tirade.
“As of now, the waiting list which would usually shoot well beyond 150 at this time of the year, stood at just about 30 today (Wednesday) on the Pushpak Express,” said a senior railway official.
“On the Kushinagar Express that carries a large number of passengers from large parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, the waiting list has come down from 300 to just about 60,” he said.
Passengers getting their advance bookings cancelled were also seen queuing up at railway reservation office in Lucknow.
“I had planned a trip to Mumbai more than a month in advance to meet my brother working in a factory there, but now I would not like to risk it with my wife and children,” said Mohammad Irfan on coming out of the reservation office.
Ahsan Ali, a middle-aged self-employed person in Britain was also equally apprehensive about taking a trip to Mumbai where he was scheduled to go Thursday.
“I was here from the UK and had decided to pay a visit to Mumbai too to meet my close relatives. But it is no more a safe city for we UPwallahs,” Ali told IANS.
Newly married 23-year-old Anita who was all set to join her husband working as a taxi-driver in Mumbai was compelled to get her ticket cancelled for her proposed departure Wednesday night.
“This would have been my first visit to Mumbai ever since I got married last year but I have been advised by my father and other relatives to abandon the trip,” said Sheela, who arrived here all the way from her village in Rae Bareli district to board the Mumbai train Thursday night.
Lokmanya Tilak Express arrived from Mumbai this afternoon and was overflowing with people who had escaped from Mumbai in a bid to avoid wrath of the MNS workers who have been on rampage targeting north Indians in various cities of Mahrashtra.
Meanwhile, crowds on each of the incoming trains from Mumbai were on the rise. And those arriving made no effort to hide the sense of insecurity they experienced over the past few days.
“MNS workers thrashed me and ransacked my shop. They also beat several others like me and ranscaked their shops also,” Ramu Pal of Rai Bareilly, who runs a small shop in Mumbai, told IANS.
Shivshankar, who is also a resident of Uttar Pradesh, works in a showroom in Mumbai. He has also come back by the same train leaving his job for the time being as he felt unsafe in the city.
“Maharashtra government seemed to be hand in glove with Raj Thackrey as it did not do anything to infuse confidence in north Indians who were feeling unsafe there,” he said.
“With Raj Thakeray’s men spewing venom against us, Mumbai is not the same. At least for the time being it is extremely unsafe for anyone who does not belong to Maharastra. So, it was best to come back here and cool one’s heels for sometime,” remarked Surendra Prasad, a vegetable seller in Mumbai’s Colaba area.
Jagbir, who works in a bhelpuri joint at Chowpaty in Mumbai, said after getting off the Lokmanya Tilak express here: “I went to Mumbai from Basti just about six months back and was happy to be at least making a living in the dream town. But now I don’t think I would want to go back to that place.”
Some of the passengers also alleged that MNS workers pelted stones on train as it was passing through Mumbai.