Amid snowballing controversy, Bihar to send team to Tamil Nadu to probe alleged attack on migrant workers

Alleged videos of a purported attack on Bihar migrant workers in Tamil Nadu on social media had the potential to sour the relations between the two states.

In the last several days, it was reported that many false messages of attacks on Bihar migrant workers in Tamil Nadu were put out on social media.

One such fake message was allegedly a tweet that claimed "12 migrants from Bihar were hung to death in Tamil Nadu for speaking in Hindi," by Prashant Umrao, a spokesperson of the Uttar Pradesh’s BJP unit.

Alarmed at what had allegedly happened, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his concerns over the issue. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin too had issued a statement that there was nothing to fear.

On his part, Nitish Kumar said, "As soon as I got to know through newspapers, I directed officials to look into the matter. They talked with the Tamil Nadu government and reported that a team should be sent from here," Nitish Kumar was reported by ANI.

The issue was also raised in the Bihar Assembly.

Composition of the team

The four-member team includes D Balamurugan, Secretary, Rural Development, P Kanan, IPS (IG CID), Shree Alok, Special Secretary, Labour Department and an IPS officer.

Tamil Nadu DGP differs

Even as Bihar cries foul over the alleged incident, Sylendr Babu, Tamil Nadu DGP, had a different take on the issue.

"Somebody in Bihar posted false and mischievous videos saying that migrant workers are attacked in Tamil Nadu. Two videos are posted and both are false, these two incidents happened earlier in Tiruppur and Coimbatore. Both cases were not a clash between the people of Tamil Nadu and migrant workers. One was a clash between two groups of Bihar migrant workers and another video was a clash between two local residents of Coimbatore," the top cop was quoted further by the publication.

Bihar police in touch with TN counterparts

The Bihar police, on their part, are in touch with their TN counterparts.

"Bihar DGP has spoken to Tamil Nadu DGP. Other senior officers of the Bihar Police are in touch with senior officials of the Tamil Nadu Police. The Tamil Nadu Police has said that the said videos are fake and misleading," ANI quoted JS Gangwar, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Patna, as saying.

Also Read: Industry bodies in TN want CM Stalin to put out messages in Hindi to ease tension among migrant workforce

Bihar CM, Dy CM face criticism

Even as the issue saw indignation among Bihar leaders, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, chose to go by the Tamil Nadu DGP’s version of no such attack.

The leader was further criticised for having visited Tamil Nadu amid the crisis to attend a function organised on the occasion of the birthday of Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin.

The BJP even staged a walkout over this apparent flippant attitude of the deputy chief minister.

Political analyst Prashant Kishor also criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for not having a word with his Tamil Nadu counterpart.

Cases booked:

Cases have been registered against Dainik Bhaskar’s editor, Mohammed Tanveer who owns Tanveer Post and Prashant Umrao.