2018 attacks on Hindi-speaking migrants in Gujarat

2018 attacks on Hindi-speaking migrants in Gujarat
Date 28 September – 8 October 2018 (2018-09-28 – 2018-10-08)
Location Several districts in Gujarat, India
Cause Rape incident, unemployment
Target Hindi-speaking migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh
Outcome Exodus of migrants from Gujarat
Arrest(s) 431

In October 2018, there were incidents of attacks on Hindi-speaking migrants; from the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh; in Gujarat after the alleged rape of a 14-month-old in a village near Himmatnagar in north Gujarat. The attacks triggered the exodus of the migrants.

Background

The 14-months old girl from a Thakor community was allegedly raped by a migrant labourer from Bihar on 28 September 2018.[1][2] He worked at the ceramic factory at Dhundhar village near Himmatnagar, Sabarkantha district in north Gujarat where the incident took place.[1][3] He was arrested by the police next day. It angered the Thakor community which held protests across Gujarat.[1][3]

Attacks and exodus

On 2 October, a mob, allegedly led by Kshatriya Thakor Sena members, attacked on the migrant workers in a factory near Vadnagar in Mehsana district.[4] The police had arrested the twenty people for rioting.[5] The next day, Alpesh Thakor, a leader of Kshatriya Thakor Sena and Indian National Congress MLA; had announced the fast from 8 October to seek justice of the rape survivor.[6][5] He had reportedly demanded the preference to the local people in jobs in industries in the state while addressing the protest.[7][5] He had also accused the government of filing false cases against the members of his community and demanded their release.[5][8]

On 3 October, there was a attack in Chandlodiya, Ahmedabad.[1] There were further incidents of attacks on the migrant labourers and the factories employing them by the Thakor community and others. By 7 October, the six districts were affected including Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Patan, Banaskantha, Aravalli and Ahmedabad district. The first two districts were the worst affected.[1][3] The attacks were chiefly in industrial estates and industrial belts.[9] On 8 October, there were attacks in villages near Vadodara also.[10] No incidents of attack reported after 9 October.[11]

The attacks triggered exodus of the more than thousand labourers from Gujarat to their native states.[1][2][12] The Director General of Police denied the exodus and attributed the leaving migrants to the upcoming festive season.[12][13] Uttar Bharatiya Vikas Parishad, an outfit supporting north Indian migrants, claimed that around 20,000 people had left Gujarat by 8 October.[14]

Government action

By 8 October, total 56 FIRs were lodged and 431 people were arrested.[15] Ten people were arrested for spreading rumours and hatred on social media.[16][11] The government of Gujarat provided security to more than hundred factories.[1] Apart from State Police, seventeen companies of State Reserve Police (SRP) were deployed in the affected districts.[8]


The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) urged the government to restore the peace as the industries were affected.[14]

Political reactions

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC), two major political parties in Gujarat assembly, appealed for peace and harmony.[2] The opposition INC state chief Amit Chavda reasoned the rising unemployment in youth behind the anger and criticised the attackers.[2] INC President Rahul Gandhi called the attacks "completely wrong" and attributed it to unemployment and shutdown of the factories.[17][18] BJP blamed Alpesh Thakor and his outfit for the violence.[19] Alpesh Thakor denied his involvement and appealed for peace to his community. He kept "goodwill" fast in Ahmedabad for a day on 11 October.[4][19] The Government of Gujarat appealed to the migrants to return.[15][20]

Yogi Adityanath and Nitish Kumar, the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar respectively, spoke with Vijay Rupani, Gujarat Chief Minister for their concerns.[15] Tejashwi Yadav, a leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal, a opposition political party from Bihar; criticised the Central Government led by BJP leader Narendra Modi who belongs to Gujarat.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sharon, Meghdoot (2018-10-07). "UP, Bihar Migrants Flee Gujarat After 'Rape Backlash' Triggers Attacks; 342 Arrested". News18. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Gujarat rape backlash: Fearing for lives after mob attacks, UP, MP and Bihar migrants flee". The Indian Express. 2018-10-07. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  3. 1 2 3 "Violence intensifies in Gujarat, migrants flee for lives". The Times of India. 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  4. 1 2 "Gujarat toddler rape: All Indians safe in state, says Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor following reports of mob attack". Zee News. 2018-10-07. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Alpesh Thakor To Sit On Fast Over Rape Of 14-Month-Old Girl In Gujarat". NDTV.com. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  6. ↑ "Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor denies involvement in violence over Sabarkantha rape". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  7. ↑ "342 arrested for attacks on non-Gujaratis, security beefed up". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  8. 1 2 "Gujarat: 342 arrested for attacking migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar after 14-month-old girl's rape in Sabarkantha". Free Press Journal. 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  9. ↑ "'50,000 labourers have left Gujarat already'". Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  10. ↑ "Gujarat rape: 15 migrant workers attacked in Vadodara". The Indian Express. 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  11. 1 2 "North Indian migrant workers exodus abating in Gujarat; 10 held for hate messages". The Hindu. Special Correspondent. 2018-10-10. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
  12. 1 2 "Gujarat DGP denies exodus due to fear, says migrants leaving due to festival season". The Financial Express. 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  13. ↑ Dave, Hiral (2018-10-07). "Gujarat remains on edge as migrants face backlash". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  14. 1 2 "Gujarat migrant attacks: Ahmed Patel defends Alpesh Thakor, targets BJP govt". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  15. 1 2 3 "Gujarat government appeals to migrants to return, says 431 arrested for attacks on them". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  16. ↑ "Why Gujarat has turned against migrants from UP, Bihar: What we know so far". India Today. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  17. ↑ "Targeting Migrant Workers In Gujarat "Completely Wrong": Rahul Gandhi". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  18. ↑ "Factory shutdowns root of violence against migrant workers in Gujarat: Rahul Gandhi". India Today. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  19. 1 2 "Alpesh Thakor Ends 'Goodwill' Fast, Says He Is Not 'Spreading Hatred'". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
  20. ↑ "Gujarat deputy CM Nitin Patel: Migrants who fled have started returning". The Indian Express. 2018-10-14. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.