Gujarat police Friday said that at least 180 people have been arrested across five districts for targeting migrants, particularly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in violent protests across the state. With the protests continuing unabated since Wednesday, several migrant workers have reportedly left the state in fear.
Protests erupted in the districts of Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Patan, Sabarkantha and Mehsana after the arrest of Ravindra Sahu, who hails from Bihar, for allegedly raping a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha district last week.
Director General of Police Shivanand Jha said that “following the case of rape…people from a particular community have targeted non-Gujaratis.” The victim belongs to the Thakor community, which, according to police, has targeted migrants since the incident.
Thakor told The Indian Express Friday: “I appeal for peace to all those behind these incidents. There could be members from our community and Sena but no such instruction (to launch attacks) was given out from our side (Thakor Sena). This is to only defame us and the Sena. We are only aiming at peace and employment in the state.”
He said that their target was the “state government and companies”, not individuals or a community or caste. “Despite the rule of employing 80 per cent locals companies do not follow this. The state government should ensure its proper implementation”, Thakor said.
According to Thakor, those not involved in the violence should not face police cases. “How can you name somebody in the FIR who was not there at all? We are demanding police withdraw cases against all these persons within 72 hours,” he said, warning that he would take “legal recourse” if the demand was not met.
The Thakor Sena claims that cases were registered against nearly 500 people named in around 50 FIRs across six districts and Ahmedabad city. Police security was also placed outside industrial units which employ migrants after Thakor said his outfit’s anger was against the government and the companies, not complying with the rule to employ locals in factories.
Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor
According to the police, more than a dozen videos targeting migrants from Bihar and UP have circulated on social media. One such video that allegedly originated from a village in Gandhinagar, shows a group of people threatening migrants from Bihar asking them to leave Gujarat for good.
Mahendrasinh Chavda, Gandhinagar Range IG that covers four districts, said that “till Friday evening 23 FIRs have been registered for rioting, damage to public and private property. And 170 people have been arrested.”
