Congress leader Adhir meets PM Modi over attacks on Bangla-speaking migrants
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised the issue of attacks on Bengali-speaking people, especially in BJP-ruled states.
Chowdhury, a former Congress chief in West Bengal, urged the prime minister's intervention in helping stop such attacks, which, he said, could lead to communal tension and possibly violence in the state.
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"Their only offence is that they speak in Bengali language which are often misunderstood by the concerned administration as persons belonging to neighbouring Bangladesh and treated as infiltrators," Chowdhury said in a letter to Modi.
Several parts of West Bengal have a majority Muslim population and share a border with Bangladesh, and communal tension is rising among communities in these areas as a result of such attacks elsewhere in the country, he said.
The Congress leader urged the prime minister to "sensitize all the state governments" against discrimination, violence, and persecution of migrant labourers from other parts of the country.
A 30-year-old migrant worker, Jewel Rana from the Jangipur region in Murshidabad district in West Bengal, was killed in Sambalpur of Odisha on Wednesday following an altercation over a 'bidi'.
Two migrant workers in Mumbai were also arrested in Mumbai on suspicion of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
West Bengal Migrants Welfare Board has also said that it received 1,143 complaints of harassment in 10 months, especially in the BJP-ruled states.
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Tension during Shivaji Jayanti procession in Karnataka's Bagalkote, prohibitory orders imposed
Bagalkote (Karnataka) (PTI): Tension prevailed briefly during a Shivaji Jayanti procession here after stones were allegedly hurled at the rally, officials said on Friday.
The incident occurred on Thursday in the old city when the procession, which began around 3:30 pm, was passing through the mosque area, they said.
Superintendent of Police Siddharth Goyal said adequate forces were deployed for the procession.
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"We were all present at the spot. The procession began around 3:30 PM (yesterday), As it approached the mosque, two stones were thrown from a distance toward us,” he said.
According to the SP, based on preliminary information and videos reviewed by the police so far, one stone struck a police constable while the other fell on his shoulder.
“No one sustained any major injuries. After that, the procession continued smoothly, and the atmosphere remained peaceful,” Goyal said.
Police said adequate security arrangements have been made in view of the procession and the situation remained under control.
"The area where the incident occurred has been covered with CCTV cameras. We had also recorded the procession. We are reviewing the video footages. Strict action will be taken against those involved in this," he added.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita have been imposed in parts of Bagalkote from midnight of February 19 to midnight of February 24.
According to officials, under the restrictions, assembly of more than four people in public places has been prohibited. Carrying dangerous weapons, engaging in activities that may endanger public safety, and organising meetings, ceremonies or sit-ins without prior permission have also been barred.
Measures were taken to maintain law and order in the affected areas.
