Shadows of Migration: Unveiling Anti-Migrant Violence in India

Abstract

This article explores the rising violence against internal migrants in India, which coincides with rising regional and nationalist sentiments. It investigates the socioeconomic elements contributing to anti-migrant sentiments, such as job competition, informal labour exploitation, and insufficient social protection. The study criticises existing policies, such as the Interstate Migrant Workers Act and MGNREGA, for failing to safeguard migrants. It advocates for broad reforms that address structural concerns while guaranteeing legal safeguards and social inclusion. Improving social security portability, encouraging unionisation, and enforcing migrant rights are among the recommendations to promote social integration and prevent violence.

Introduction

Internal migration, defined as the movement of individuals within a country, is critical for optimising the allocation of human resources across regions and industries. In India, the 2011 census showed 450 million internal migrants, a significant rise from 309 million in 2001. Despite this, recent reports of violence against migrants have revealed rising tensions. Migrants, who commonly relocate for economic reasons, frequently confront hostility in their new communities, increasing their difficulties due to their socioeconomic situation. Incidents of migrant-targeted violence, such as those in Maharashtra, have received national attention, raising worries about migrants' incapacity to assimilate into the local socioeconomic fabric. Under the present government, these issues have become more apparent, mainly due to increased regionalism. This increasing focus on migrant rights and protections underscores the need for policy interventions aimed at reducing violence and promoting equitable treatment across states. The objective of the article is to look into the growing issue of anti-migrant violence, particularly under the rising regionalist and nationalist sentiments in India. It examines patterns in recent news reports on migrant violence and investigates the underlying socioeconomic variables contributing to these instances. Finally, the article provides recommendations for addressing the systemic causes that contribute to such violence, focusing on legal protections, social integration, and policy reforms to benefit migrant workers.

Policies for Migrants in India

India's migration policy framework struggles to deal with the difficulties of internal migration, particularly interstate mobility and labour rights. Despite legal safeguards such as the Interstate Migrant Workmen Act of 1979, execution is insufficient, rendering it ineffective in protecting migrant workers (Srivastava & Pandey, 2017). The Act intended to control recruitment, improve working conditions, and ensure fair compensation still needs to be updated to reflect India's current labour market, which is dominated by informal employment and unregistered contractors. As a result, many interstate migrants are still exempt from the law, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation due to low earnings and bad living conditions.

Similarly, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is credited with lowering rural-urban mobility, but it does not address the structural reasons that drive internal movement. MGNREGA's focus on rural development overlooks critical aspects such as urban job opportunities and social security portability, limiting its effectiveness as a long-term solution for migrants seeking better economic prospects in cities (Chowdhury, 2011).

A major obstacle to India's approach is the need for a national framework to ensure the portability of social security benefits, including housing, healthcare, and education. Migrants encounter considerable challenges because services such as the Public Distribution System (PDS) are dependent on their place of origin (World Bank, 2011). Despite attempts like Aadhar to promote portability, implementation is inconsistent, limiting access to critical services. Domicile preferences for state jobs and education further limit interstate migrants' upward mobility, compounding regional inequities and impeding labour migration (World Bank, 2011). This lack of policy attention inhibits internal migration from realising its full potential as an agent of economic growth.

Current Scenario: Growing Anti-Migrant Sentiments and Violence

India has seen an increase in anti-migrant sentiment and violence, exacerbated by the socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic-triggered reverse migration emphasised the vulnerable situation of India's 450 million internal migrants, many of whom lost their jobs and access to basic amenities in cities. Government assistance initiatives, such as cash transfers and food distribution, were inadequate. Migrants were denied social security, healthcare, and housing due to non-portable benefits, highlighting systemic inadequacies in India's migration policies (Srivastava, 2012b).

Political rhetoric has fueled hatred toward migrants, particularly in regions such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, where migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are frequently viewed as "outsiders" endangering local jobs. In 2018, violence erupted in Gujarat over a rape case involving a Bihari migrant, resulting in mob attacks that displaced hundreds of migrant labourers (Srivastava & Pandey, 2017). Similarly, in 2012, rumours sparked violence against Northeastern migrants in Bengaluru, forcing nearly 30,000 to escape within days, demonstrating their vulnerability (India Today, 2018). Political personalities like Raj Thackeray have exacerbated regional tensions by depicting Bihari migrants as "infiltrators" who are to blame for economic difficulties (Chowdhury, 2011). These dynamics reflect local anxieties about employment rivalry, which exacerbates social divisions.

Despite the ongoing violence and exclusion, significant government reforms to address migrant workers' vulnerabilities remain absent. Programs like MGNREGA aim to reduce rural out-migration but provide little support for migrants in urban areas, where discrimination and violence persist. The disconnect between policy and on-ground realities has left migrant communities frustrated and marginalised.

Recent reports highlight the precarious conditions migrants face. In Kerala, where the term “guest worker” is used to distinguish migrants, resentment towards them is widespread and driven by job competition (Cherian & Rajan, 2024). Migrants, despite their contributions to Kerala's economy, live in inadequate settlements, often facing wage theft and poor working conditions. As Munck (2013) notes, these workers remain marginalised and denied recognition as full citizens with equal rights.

In Maharashtra, intra-state migrant workers in the sugar industry endure systemic exploitation under labour contractors or 'Mukadams.' Wage theft, physical abuse, and sexual harassment of women are rampant despite judicial recognition of these issues (Indian Express, 2022). Similarly, in Odisha, a case of extreme violence in 2013 saw two migrant workers' hands severed by contractors for refusing to work under altered terms, underscoring the violent exploitation many migrants face in informal sectors (Indian Express, 2013).

Economic inequalities are a core driver of anti-migrant violence (Kalleberg & Vallas, 2018). In Kerala, migrants are often underpaid relative to local workers, fueling resentment. Migrants live in substandard conditions and remain socially and economically isolated. Class and caste dynamics further reinforce their marginalisation, particularly in Maharashtra, where contractors exert significant control over workers. One worker observed, "They recognise that we work hard but see us as some lower sort of humans" (Cherian & Rajan, 2024). The persistent lack of legal protections and political rhetoric deepens migrants' vulnerability to exploitation and violence across India.

Recommendations and the Way Forward

Addressing the long-standing stigma and violence against these groups of people demands multifaceted actions by the state, civil society, and other stakeholders. First, an essential recommendation is to develop and enforce a comprehensive, institutionalised policy that safeguards the rights of interstate migrants. This policy should prioritise social inclusion, ensuring safe working and living circumstances, and providing access to justice for targeted and timely migrant interventions (Bhagat, 2021).

Second, promoting the unionisation and collective bargaining of migrant workers can significantly curb their exploitation in the informal labour sector. This approach would enable migrants to voice their concerns, advocate for fair wages, and seek protection against stigma and abuse. Employers often benefit from the lack of organisation among migrant workers. However, encouraging unionisation could shift this power dynamic, leading to better working conditions and job security for migrants (Mezzadra & Neilson, 2019).

Because of the informal status of migrant workers, incidents of abuse and exploitation are frequently underreported, allowing dominant groups to maintain control. Law enforcement and judicial systems must highlight cases of violence against migrants and hold perpetrators accountable (Srivastava, 2020).  Additionally, stronger regulations are needed to monitor employers who exploit migrant labourers, often through discriminatory practices based on region, caste, or ethnicity.

Another key recommendation is establishing safety nets for migrants in the urban informal sector. This involves ensuring access to essential services such as healthcare, housing, and education, often inaccessible due to lack of documentation or insecure living situations. Migrant workers should be included in social security programs that protect against income loss, illness, or injury. Such policies will lessen the impact of structural and invisible violence induced by stigmatisation and encourage better integration of migrants into the urban workforce (Mezzadra & Neilson, 2019).

Conclusion

The violence and stigmatisation faced by interstate migrants in India represent a grave social injustice that requires urgent intervention. Migrants are systematically criminalised and scapegoated for a range of socio-economic issues, exacerbating xenophobia and hostility towards them. This marginalisation leads to violations of their constitutional rights, as well as profound psychological and physical harm. Addressing this issue necessitates the development of inclusive policies that not only protect migrants but also integrate them into the social and economic fabric of the nation. Creating a legal, social, and economic framework to protect migrants is a moral imperative and a step toward building a resilient and empowered society. An inclusive India, free from the stigmatisation of migrants, is within reach, provided there is strong political will and a commitment to justice for all.

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