Migrants flee Gujarat as rape stirs tensions
VIGILANTES SEEK TO AVENGE ASSAULT ON 14-MONTH-OLD GIRL
Fearing for their safety, thousands of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have been fleeing Gujarat, after a migrant was arrested for raping a 14-month-old girl.
The violent backlash against Hindi-speaking migrants in various parts of the state started following the rape of the minor on September 28 in a village near Himmatnagar town of Sabarkantha district. The victim belongs to the Thakor community. Nineteen-year-old Raghuvir Sahu, a worker at a ceramic factory hailing from Bihar, was arrested for the crime.
The incident caused outrage among a section of Gujaratis who mobilised groups to attack unrelated migrant workers. Several migrants in six north Gujarat districts were assaulted up as hate messages spread on social media.
Troops deployed
Additional forces have been deployed in sensitive areas for the security of migrants. Sabarkantha and Mehsana are the worst-hit districts.
Uttar Bharatiya Vikas Parishad president Maheshsingh Kushwah said more than 20,000 people have fled the state due to prevailing uncertainty.
“Over 20,000 migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have fled, as migrants are being attacked in different parts of the state. Non-Gujaratis should not be seen as culprits for the misdeeds of one person,” Kushwah said.
Over the last two days, police have registered 60 cases for assault on migrant labourers and arrested over 400 people in this connection.
Gujarat police also arrested Congress leader Mohanji Thakor for threatening migrants.
However, Ksahtriya Thakor Sena, the outfit suspected to be behind the attacks, denied allegations.
“All this is being done to defame Gujarat. People are leaving for Chhath festival. I appeal to them to return to the state,” Ksahtriya Thakor Sena leader Alpesh Thakor, 42, told Gulf News.
Thakor appealed to members of his outfit to maintain peace, saying “non-Gujaratis are also our brothers”.
“Reports that members of our community are attacking the migrants are rubbish. On the contrary, we have set up a helpline for migrants in distress,” he said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani asked local Gujaratis not to engage in violence.
“Everyone should maintain calm. We are committed to maintaining law and order, and people can call police in case of trouble. We will provide them security,” Rupani said.
Claiming that no untoward incident had taken place during the last 48 hours, Rupani said the situation has been brought under control.
But the Opposition Congress blamed the state government for inciting violence.
“The attacks on migrants continued despite security cover and police arrangements. This means attackers enjoy silent blessings of the government. Bharatiya Janata Party knows that it is going to face defeats in upcoming state legislative assembly elections in Rajasthan, MP and other states. So the party has been trying to divert the attention,” Congress state chief Amit Chavda told Gulf News.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi said rising unemployment in Gujarat was behind the exodus of migrant workers.
“The root causes of the violence in Gujarat are the closed factories and unemployment. Both system and economy are collapsing. Targeting migrant workers is completely wrong. I totally stand against it,” Gandhi tweeted.