Just weeks ago, they were celebrated as heroes by West Bengal’s ruling party after surviving brutal torture in Gujarat on suspicion of being “Bangladeshi”. They were paraded at political receptions, where local leaders proudly posed with them for photographs. Promises vs Reality: Why Bengal’s Migrant Workers Keep Leaving Despite the Risks - The Wire
The Wire spoke to several of these workers who recounted how they returned home after facing harassment and beatings from security forces, only to find themselves preparing to leave again in search of work. Their stories expose a deepening crisis for West Bengal’s massive migrant workforce who are forced to seek work in other states due to a lack of local opportunities and abysmal wage rates, only to face harassment, discrimination and a stark disconnect between lofty political promises and the harshness of lived reality.
At the heart of this migration lies the sharp wage disparity. According to a recent Reserve Bank of India report, rural wages in West Bengal for both agricultural and non-agricultural work are far below the national average. While a worker in Bengal might earn Rs 150-200 a day, the same work in Kerala can fetch Rs 500–900.
For the men once paraded as heroes, their return has only deepened the contradiction between political spectacle and the unforgiving realities of survival.
09/09/2025