Due to the episode of attacks on migrant labourers following rape of an infant allegedly by a Bihari worker, ‘politics over migrants’ has begun in Gujarat as Congress and its allied organisations are now making allegations on Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel for opposing migrant students.
Right from the first attack on Hindi-speaking workers, the ruling BJP is blaming on Congress party and its MLA from Radhanpur constituency Alpesh Thakor for provoking locals to spread terror among the migrant labourers. Some provocative speeches of Thakor have also become viral in which he has been seen spitting venom against the migrants for taking jobs of Gujaratis.
Over the past one week, Alpesh was on explaining mode, but now his supporters belonging to ‘OBC, ST, SC Exta Manch’ have come on retaliation mode over the migrants issue alleging that in the past Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel had opposed for giving admission to students of other states in Gujarat’s medical colleges.
“If Patel could oppose students from other States, he can also go against migrant workers. He is spreading the poison of regionalism in order to become Chief Minister,” claimed vice-president of OBC Ekta Manch Mukesh Bharvad, adding that the attacks on migrants are nothing but outcome of internal conflicts in Gujarat BJP. The Ekta manch is headed by Thakor.
Congress MLA from Bayad in North Gujarat Dhavalsinh Zala said that Gujarat Government could have started helpline when migrants were being attacked apart from relief camp in order to stop their exodus. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesman Jayrajsinh Parmar alleged that in the year 2015 Nitin Patel had stated that poverty in the State increased due to those people who migrated from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. “This mentality of Patel clearly indicates that he is anti-migrants,” he added.