Stalin: Fake videos were spread a day after I spoke about need for Opposition parties to come together at national level.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin (Twitter)
Rumours of migrant workers from Bihar being attacked in Tamil Nadu started circulating a day after he called for Opposition unity to take on the BJP, Chief Minister MK Stalin claimed on Thursday, 9 March.
While attending Ungalil Oruvan, a question-and-answer YouTube programme with the public, Stalin held BJP’s north Indian leaders responsible for spreading rumours that revealed their ulterior motives.
To a specific query on the rumour that claimed several migrant workers were killed in the state, Stalin said: “You have to look at the timing to understand the ulterior motive. These fake videos and lies were spread a day after I spoke about the need for Opposition parties to come together at the national level.”
He further stated that for many decades, people from various states have been living in Tamil Nadu and they have faced no problems.
“But a few, including the northern BJP leaders, created such fake videos and spread lies,” he said.
“There’s a famous saying, Vanthaarai Vaazha Vaikum Tamil Nadu, meaning we help anyone who comes here to thrive. Our north Indian brothers are also aware of this trait,” Stalin stated.
Tamil Nadu DGP Sylendra Babu holding a meeting with Western Zone Police Officers and industrialists in Coimbatore. (Supplied)
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu police are specifically investigating the role of politicians in circulating the fake news that claimed migrant north Indian workers were being attacked in the state.
The police have registered 11 cases so far, besides arresting three people in connection with the incident, state police chief DGP Sylendra Babu said in Coimbatore on Thursday.
The officer told reporters that special teams formed to arrest suspected fake news peddlers were camping in Bhopal, Delhi, Bengaluru and Patna.
Digital evidence from the mobile phones of suspected rumour-mongers, too, has been collected.
The DGP was in Coimbatore for a meeting with industrialists and superintendents of police from Erode, Coimbatore and Tiruppur.
During the meeting, the DGP directed inspectors to intensify patrolling in areas where migrant workers are employed or living.
He instructed industrialists to install CCTV cameras on industry premises and also in areas where migrants reside.
Babu also directed police officers concerned to form a WhatsApp group with select migrant workers from each area/industry as members for prompt communication and better liaising.
Stating that the police are also investigating possible political angles behind the rumours that were spread, the DGP said five nodal police officers have been appointed to handle such situations in future.
“These officers are in constant touch with officials in other states,” he said.
Inspector General (North Zone) R Sudhakar, and Coimbatore City Commissioner Balakrishnan, too, attended the meeting.
Earlier in the week, an official delegation from Bihar visited the state to take stock of the situation, since a sizeable number of people from that state are working in Tamil Nadu.
The official team interacted with Tamil Nadu government officials and visited industrial units in the western region where several people from Bihar are employed.
Chief Minister Stalin later said the delegation returned satisfied.
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