As 50K migrants flee, Nitish, Yogi talk to Rupani; BJP, Cong blame each otherPNS n
As more than 50,000 migrant workers from north India fled Gujarat following targeted attack on them after a native of Bihar raped a 14-month-old girl on September 28 in Sabarkantha, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath swung into action on Monday to preempt any political backlash in their backyards.
Both of them spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and expressed concern over the attacks on non-Gujaratis even though the Gujarat Police has arrested around 350 people for alleged involvement in these attacks.
While the BJP blamed the Congress for orchestrating these attacks, senior Maharashtra Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said, “North Indians are being targeted in Prime Minister’s Gujarat. But he must remember that one day he too will have to go to Banaras to seek votes.”
After speaking with Rupani, Nitish said, “Whoever committed the crime first should be punished strictly. But for the crime of one person, others should not be targeted and there should not be any feeling of ill-will. We are in constant touch with the authorities and the Government of Gujarat is fully alert.”
Bihar’s Deputy CM Sushil Modi, who too spoke to Rupani and Gujarat Home Minister Pradip Singh Jadeja, said situation was normalising there following arrest of 342 people involved in attacking the migrants and deployment of 17 companies of special police.
He said Jadeja has promised safety and security of the migrants from Bihar and UP. Sushil accused the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi of causing more problems for the Bihari workers with their statements. He asked what action the Congress took against leader of Thakore Sena and party’s Bihar in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil.
Yogi said Rupani assured him that his Government would ensure the safety to all. “The Gujarat CM told me over the phone there is no incident in the past three days and that he had appealed to people against paying heed to any rumour,” Yogi said in Lucknow.
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan expressed concern over cases of violence against Hindi-speaking migrants in Gujarat, while also seeking stringent action against those accused of raping a girl child in the western State. The Lok Janshakti Party president said he spoke to Rupani, who, he added, told him that those involved in the incidents of violence against north Indians will face tough action.
Rupani told him that the State Government will try the accused in the case of rape in a fast track court.
Condemning the attacks on north Indians, Nirupam said the members of the north Indian community were supplying milk, newspapers and vegetables to the people of the megapolis, besides providing autorickshaw and taxi services.
“If the community decides to stop work for a day, life in Mumbai will come to a standstill. None will get roti, vegetables, milk and auto, taxi, truck and tempo (services),” he said.
However, incidents of targeting Hindi speaking labourers began a week after the rape on September 28.
Police have confirmed over 40 incidents of attacks on migrant workers in Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and Gandhinagar districts in north Gujarat as well as Ahmedabad and adjoining Surendranagar districts.
Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor, who heads Gujarat Thakor Sena, allegedly gave provocative speeches against the migrant workers. Interestingly, the Radhanpur MLA was recently named as All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary for Bihar.
“Neither me nor Thakor Sena advocated for violence. We only wanted justice for the victim’s family. We firmly believe that anyone working peacefully in Gujarat must stay safe,” stated Thakor after Sushil Modi’s allegation that a mob backed by the Congress was responsible for the attack on Bihari workers.
Gujarat BJP vice-president IK Jadeja came down heavily on the Opposition Congress for trying to divide the workforce on the basis of regions keeping an eye on the Assembly polls of neighbouring Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. But, Gujarat Congress blamed the State Government for its failure in maintaining law and order.
Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda claimed that the violence was provoked by the BJP keeping in mind the forthcoming elections in five States.
According to Gujarat DGP Shivanand Jha, 17 companies of SRP have been deployed in six affected districts of North and Central Gujarat to normalise the situation.
Jha, however, said as festival times began many migrants have started going to their respective States and it shouldn’t be seen as exodus as they would be back to their work after the festivals.
In order to build confidence among migrants, police had held a flag march in 60 km stretch in eastern Ahmedabad by more than 500 cops, including Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, inspectors and constables. Sources said police have held a Congress worker in Gandhinagar for spreading threatening video messages.