Even as the exodus of non-Gujaratis from the Prime minister’s home state continued, the Congress leader whose agitation against rape of a 14-month-old child had triggered attacks on non-Gujaratis has threatened to shut factories that provide employment to “people from outside”.
Congress leader Alpesh Thakore who also is a founder of Thakore sena that was instrumental in the attack claimed that crimes by `outsiders’ had increased and since police had failed to initiate action, the organization had decided to take law into its own hands. Thakore also criticized the police for arresting miscreants who had targeted non Gujaratis following the rape incident. “The police should release people from my community who have been arrested. If in anger someone has done something then we should forgive him and deal with outsiders with a strong hand. We will hold a meeting and declare what we will do.’’ threatened Thakore.
He also issued threats to factor owners employing non Gujaratis. “We will stop the factories where these people work. We told their owners but so far there has been no action. We have declared halla bol and we will shut the factory. The government and police should declare what action they want to take.’’ he announced.
Meanwhile, despite assurances by state DGP Shivanand Jha and appeal by CM Vijay Rupani, a large number of non-Gujarati migrants from Hindi-speaking states continued to make a beeline to the railway stations and bus depots to return to their home states fearing attacks from locals.
Nearly 5,000 migrant workers, particularly from Bihar, UP and MP, employed at the industrial clusters in parts of Ahmedabad and some north Gujarat districts have left the state in the past three days.
The Gujarat Police, however, continued to be in denial mode claiming that “not a single migrant labourer” had left Gujarat due to apprehension of attack. “Those who have left have gone to celebrate festivals with their relatives and will return as their leave ends,” a senior police official claimed.
Both the DGP and MoS for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja claimed that there was not even one “serious incident” of attack on non-Gujaratis. “Safety of all residents of Gujarat, including the non-Gujaratis, was the responsibility of the government and it has not failed,” Jadeja claimed.
PM Narendra Modi, in a call to Rupani and Jadeja, reportedly pulled up the state government for allowing the situation to deteriorate to the extent where the image of Gujarat was eroded.
Bihar and UP CMs Nitish Kumar and Yogi Adityanath, respectively, also spoke to Rupani and asked him to ensure safety of their people.
Congress’ Priyanka Chaturvedi said a ‘migrant Lord Krishna from UP’s Mathura’ was welcomed by Gujarat, which is today throwing migrants from three states out
She asked the PM: “With this happening in your home state, how will you face the people of Rajasthan and the people of UP’s Varanasi who elected you with a heavy margin in 2014?”
