A mix of fear and mistrust is forcing people to leave despite the Uttar Pradesh government’s assurance that they will be taken care of.
“I have no money. My phone has no charge. How will I survive in this city?” says Tribhuvan (uses just one name) walking towards his home in Lucknow’s Industrial area of Chinhat.
Around 1 pm on Monday, Tribhuvan with his 10-year-old son boarded a bus some five kilometres from his home. “It was a government bus. We were told we would be taken home”, says this native of Azamgarh who has been working at a shop that sells cycles in Lucknow for the last five years.
The bus that Tribhuvan boarded, roamed the city for almost an hour, before it was asked to turn around from Indira Canal near Lucknow’s neighbouring district of Baranaki. The bus rode for 30 more minutes before emptying its occupants at the Shaheed Path. This reporter met Tribhuvan when he was trudging back to his rented room in Lucknow from Shaheed Path.
Tribhuvan is still speaking when another bus begins to empty its occupants on the Shaheed Path—an outer bypass road that diverts traffic from Kanpur and Ayodhya. This 23km-long road is one of Lucknow's most photographed markers of development.
As this reporter starts taking pictures of people walking away from the bus, a policeman intervenes. “Baith jao, baith jao- sab milega” (Stay put, you will get everything) he extols the occupants of the bus. On being queried on why the buses were being stopped he says he does not know. “Do you see me stopping anyone? I am trying to put people back on the bus,” he says.
Tribhuvan with his son
The occupants rush back—some climbing through the windows not wanting to be left behind. “They have stopped us four times”, “They promised they would get us home”, “They said we would be tested but nothing happened”, “Can you please tell the government we want to go home”—people shout in the direction of this reporter.
The bus driver says that he was directed to go to Bahraich. He has no answers for why he stopped.
A second policeman is more forthcoming.
“The government has built temporary shelters for people. There was one at Shaheed Path, but it is full now. So these people will now be taken to Indira Gandhi Pratishthan”, he says with reference to one of Lucknow’s most sought after venues to host weddings and exhibitions. The bus lunges forward again, turns around and crawls to that destination.
The trust deficit between the government and its citizens that began with the announcement of an ill-prepared total lockdown runs deep. “The government has made empty promises. Look at the khichdi they are serving us- you will have to fish for rice in it. Back home at least we will have something to eat”, says Tribhuvan whose monthly income is Rs 4,000.
Behind him, hordes of people march on enveloped in the despair that the government has abandoned them and plagued by the fear of hunger.
