Ranchi: Thirty tribal students from various parts of Jharkhand (a state in eastern India) stranded in the southern Indian territory of Puduchery due to Covid-19 lockdown for over 70 days, returned to Ranchi full of joy and filled with gratitude to Ranchi Archdiocese on Friday night. The distance between Ranchi and Puduchery is 1773 kms.
Rahul Minj, one of the boys from the group of students who were feeling helpless and frustrated, managed to contact Fr. Sushil Toppo, the Secretary of the Ranchi Archdiocese asking for help five days ago. Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas swung into action and requested the Catholic Church in Pudduchery through Fr. Devasagayaraj the former Secretary of CBCI Commission for Dalits for assistance.
With the help of Dr. LSP Sojasingarayer, the local Congress Leader who in turn contacted V Narayanaswamy, began making railway arrangements. But there being no train to Jharkhand, the next best option of travelling to Bhuwaneshwar was taken. Two times the journey was called off at the last moment because of bureaucratic problems related to the railways.
Finally the youth embarked on a journey to Khurda Junction in Odisha. Transport was necessary to transfer the students to Ranchi over 500 Kms away. The Odisha Government officials made it clear that they would not pay for transport of Jharkhandi students. With private bus owners charging fees for bringing the students to Ranchi and for the return journey of the bus to Bhuwaneshwar besides toll charges, permit charges etc., the Ranchi Archdiocese decided that it would not allow the students to suffer further and took up the total costs of transferring the students to Ranchi.
Meanwhile, Fr. Gerald Ravi D’Souza SJ in Bhuwaneshwar arranged a bus, completed all formalities for the travel of the students. Further problems awaited the students as the officials in Khurda Junction in Odisha would not allow the passengers to get down claiming they had no information of their arrival. The bus arranged to pick up the students had to move to Nergundi 60 kms away from Khurdha Road and asked the bus parked at Khurdha Road Junction. On reaching the Nergundi Station it was not an easy life for the traveling migrants.
Fr. Ravi said that it was rather difficult to understand the lack of coordination and communication in the government departments. At the station he could see tight security as if some notorious criminals were coming out of the train. The thesildar at the station, however, was kind enough to understand and agreed to deboard the young students and again board the bus once the screening and other formalities were done.
The students then undertook a 14-hour bus journey to the St. Joseph’s High School, Hulhundu and their 50-hour journey from their hostel, to the train, to Odisha and into Jharkhand ended at 10 pm. Archbishop Felix Toppo and Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, were personally present along with Fr. Sushil Toppo and the SCJM Sisters to receive them. All students belonging to different religions joined Archbishop in thanking the Almighty through their own religious beliefs for His favours to them. The students thanked the Archdiocese of Ranchi for the great help to them during their difficult time.
Ms Smita Mutt and the Ranchi District Administration provided continuous and valuable guidance and directions to bring our tribal children home.