Recently, actor Sonu Sood, along with his friend, restaurateur Niti Goel, distributed food to homeless migrants when they came across a community of workers who were planning to take a 550 km long journey to Karnataka, on foot. After procuring necessary authorization from both the state governments, Sonu arranged adequate transport and sent off the bunch of migrant workers home in nine to ten buses.
By then, in just two short weeks, the actor has helped thousands of migrants reach home. Their homes are dispersed across India, but it seems like no state, city, or village is too far away for Sood to organize a bus.
We all know how the state and central governments and different government departments tend to engage in political games and play the blame game, the Indian actor Sonu Sood has come out as a real-life superhero for abandoned migrants. The process and method of arranging transportation for migrant workers is not a simple task. Apart from granting permission from different states, Sood, and his team also ensure that migrants have proper documents and papers to help them cross borders.
To ensure social distancing each 60-seater bus has only 30 passengers. Also, there are two drivers in every bus who take turns at driving, to reduce the risk of accidents due to tiredness and fatigue. With help from Chef Vikas Khanna, Sonu has ensured that migrants have sufficient food and water for the long journey.
Thank u my brother @TheVikasKhanna and the team of @NDRFHQ for making this happen. So so proud of you. 🇮🇳🇮🇳 https://t.co/vtrwQi2w73
— sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 27, 2020
On the other hand, shramik special trains arranged by the government have limited to no food supplies and unhygienic conditions. Sood had also started a toll-free helpline for the migrants, who are left anxiously scurrying around railway stations, seeking information about the trains provided by the government.
The government is also charging migrant workers for the train fare, and the superhero has not charged a single penny from any of the migrants he has helped reach home till now. As reported by Mumbai Mirror, the expense of travel is between Rs. 64,000 to Rs.1.8 lakh, varying on the distance traveled. Originally, he paid the entire expense out of his own, but as the news circulated, other people have jumped in to support.
In an interview with the BBC, Sood expressed why he felt so strongly regarding the migrant crisis:
“I feel strongly about the migrant issue because I came to Mumbai as a migrant. I just boarded a train one day and landed up here. Everyone comes here with a dream, they want to make their family proud, and everyone should be treated well. I can’t stop until the last migrant has reached home.”
Sonu and his friend Niti Goel are working more than 18 hours a day, are also risking their physical health to help migrant workers. And yet, they continue on.
cover image source- www.bbc.com