Migrants from north India account for a bulk of the employees who sustain the city’s local train network-from working as motormen to maintaining the tracks, supervising the engineering department to even clearing tracks of filth. Some estimate that 85 per cent of supervisor engineers and 70 per cent of gangmen in the city are also from north India.

Today, they are a pained lot. The attacks against north Indians in the city by Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has left them wondering if all their sweating has been in vain.

“I have never seen any commuter through the prism of community, religion or political affiliation in my service of 35 years as a motorman in Mumbai. My only belief is to drop every passenger safely at his destination,” says RK Sharma (57), a motorman from Kota, Rajasthan.

Not just Sharma, even railways trackmen and blacksmiths feel the same way.

Sharma along with gangman Rambax Bhaigh (52) of Pratapgarh (UP), blacksmith Sudesh Singh (29) of Etawa and gangman Rajesh Roshan (28) of Patna have one question: “We left our homes years back to serve Mumbai’s commuters. Does being born in north India makes us outsiders in Mumbai?”

Sharma, a diploma holder in engineering, could have been a senior engineer had he not voluntarily chosen to be a motorman for Western Railway.

“Public ki seva karni hai...yeh sochke maine electrical department se motorman department main transfer liya,” says Sharma.

“We are ordinary people. What is our fault?” he asked.

Bhaigh, who works for railways on a contract basis and is paid Rs 3.50 a day, said his job was to keep the tracks clear to keep Mumbai running and now he was being called an outsider. “Do we work only to be branded as outsiders?” he asked.

Showing marks of stitches, Bhaigh said: “I had a bypass surgery in 2003 but still carry tools weighing 24 kg everyday. Am I not part of Mumbai?”

Singh said: “Eighty-five per cent of supervisor engineers who keep Mumbai running are from north India. And 70 per cent of gangmen are also from north India. Are they not important to Mumbai?”

Roshan said: “I earn my living and nurtured my family here. Now, being targeted for being a north Indian is not only insulting but also disturbing.”