DURANA (JIND): The evidence of how Haryana’s job crisis has fuelled international human trafficking is in the tale of Mandeep Singh, a 25-yearold villager of Durana who spent Rs 32 lakh in a failed attempt to sneak into the US via illegal “donkey routes”. Despite two months in US prisons after lashings from the “donkers” (human traffickers), the only son of his parents is determined to try again.
Harvesting paddy in his fields and stacking it into bales, he said: “There are no jobs in our public or private sector, and tilling just 2.5 acres can’t give me my dream life.” In his village, most young men of his age have taken the “donkey routes” and Sultan was among those deported with him.Mandeep said: “The traffickers flogged us; it was horrible. I had sold an acre to finance that trip. Being a relative, the agent returned part payment and promised to get me across the US border this time.”
Rural Haryana goes NRI
Durana’s newly-built homes reek of NRI money. The village elders said 250-odd young men had migrated, leaving just a few grey beards like them at home. Elder Sucha Singh said: “After Class XII, almost every student dreams of quitting the country, and one village follows the other, like the craze for the Army once. Not all the NRIs have settled well abroad, but the money the others have sent home motivates others.”
Amar Singh, a representative of the village sarpanch (his daughter-in-law), said: “The trend began five to six years ago. Unemployment forced many villagers to sell off some land for overseas journeys. Those good at studies went the legal way, but even the average students don’t want to stay back.”
Durana, a village of 3,000 with 1,800 voters, is not an isolated case. Village chemist Gaurav said: “Even in adjoining villages Popra, Allan, Jolly, and Ratauli, 80% of the youth have taken the donkey route out in search of jobs. The walls at the bus stands and markets of our towns are now painted with advertisements for IELTS classes and immigration agents instead of military recruitment rallies.”
Life at risk for work
Haryanvis with ECR (emigration check required) passports are also migrating legally for work. Figures presented to the Lok Sabha in Dec suggest that most of these 3,243 people were unskilled or semi-skilled workers, and their number has increased each year — from 314 in 2020 to 1,238 by Nov 2023. Most of them go to the Gulf, to work as drivers, labourers, masons, and carpenters in Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, and the state ranks 19th in overseas labour migration. Recently, several workers also moved to war-torn Israel.
Exodus explained
Haryana’s youth exodus has also led to hundreds of criminal cases. As of Dec 2023, 1,494 FIRs (first-information reports) related to immigration fraud, with 1,255 arrests. Most of the victims are trafficked to Latin America, the UK, and the US, and trapped there in dire situations. Several die. The surge in illegal migration prompted the state assembly to pass The Haryana Registration and Regulation of Travel Agents Bill, 2024, which includes a provision for up to 10 years of imprisonment and fines of up to Rs 5 lakh for agents involved in human trafficking.
Shrinking landholdings, limited govt jobs, and lack of major private employers outside Gurgaon and Faridabad encourage migration. The temporary nature of Army recruitment under the Agniveer scheme has made military service less attractive. Pawan Berwal, a former soldier who now runs a coaching academy in Jind, said: “Agniveer made the military a last resort, since job security is gone. The new trend is to go abroad, despite the risks.”
‘Donkey route’ old issue: Khattar
Former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said nothing was new about the donkey route issue that Rahul Gandhi of the Congress had raised recently and the BJP had long protested against it. He claimed in Karnal on Friday that: “Our govt has even made arrangements to send youth abroad legally, and 250 of them have benefited already. We are thinking of counselling the youth now.” Khattar further said that:
“The foreign ministry keeps tabs on why the Indian youth are attracted towards life abroad. It’s alright to go via a legal route but not fine to take illegal pathways. The BJP will set a record by winning a third consecutive term in the state.” The Union power minister said: “Whatever is happening in Himachal Pradesh is an internal matter of the Congress. If (Bhupinder Singh) Hooda and (Kumari) Selja share the stage, they should do it by heart not out of compulsion.” Bhavya Narang
Haryana migration state under BJP: Hooda
Former chief minister and current leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said that the BJP govt has made Haryana a “migration state” from where companies, youth, businessmen, and opportunities are all taking flight. He claimed on Saturday during an election meeting at Jakholi in Kalayat assembly seat that:
“The businessmen are migrating due to ransom gangs, youth for want of jobs, farmers in search of respect, and potential soldiers out of their disappointment with Agnipath. The state of athletes has moved away from stadiums.
Stopping this flight of talent and opportunities will be the first priority of the Congress if it gets the mandate. We will force criminals, miscreants, drug addiction, unemployment, inflation, and dictatorship out.” Hooda offered Kalayat 3 MLAs with one vote — self, Jaiprakash, and Congress candidate Vikas Saharan. He said: “A Vikas win will ensure Kalayat a ministry.” Vijender Kumar
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