The exodus of north Indian migrant workers from Gujarat continued unabated on Sunday even as the opposition and ruling parties are engaged in a political blame game and the police have stepped up efforts to dissuade the labourers from leaving the state.
The exodus of migrant workers, especially from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is the fallout of an alleged rape of a toddler in north Gujarat by a north Indian man a couple of days ago. The victim belongs to the Thakore community. While the accused has been arrested, local residents, especially the Thakores, went on attacking the migrant workers.
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According to police, cases have been filed against 342 persons and 89 arrests have been made so far.
DGP Shivanand Jha said that the police force has been asked to persuade the migrant workers not to leave the state and give them the confidence.
Round the clock, vigil is being kept in Sabarkantha district, Ahmedabad rural and pockets of Ahmedabad city where there is a sizeable migrant population. Police are also keeping a watch on social media sites to check rumours.
Congress MLA from Radhanpur, Alpesh Thakore, has alleged that people of his community have been wrongly arrested. Alpesh has threatened to sit on an indefinite hunger strike if those arrested from the Thakore community "do not get justice".
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has urged the Congress not to play regional cards for political gains. He said that the violence is unjustified as the accused has been already arrested.
After the incident, Gujarat Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja had announced that strict actions would be taken against the accused. He also talked about making changes in the law.
Opposition leader in the state assembly, Paresh Dhanani, has blamed the BJP for the attacks on north Indians.
A candle march was organised in support of the toddler in Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad that has a sizeable population from north India. The candle march also saw the participation of people from north India and they demanded that the accused be given strictest punishment.
