BENGALURU: Gujarat’s Minister for Energy Saurabh Bhai Patel on Tuesday attributed mass exodus of migrant workers from the state to Dasara holidays. Workers, especially from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were seen fleeing the state following tensions after the alleged rape of a 14-month-old girl last month.
Patel was addressing a press conference in Bengaluru about the unveiling of Statue of Unity at Sardar Sarovar Dam on October 31. Patel said the exodus of migrant workers was a political ploy to smear the BJP government and added that it is common for workers to travel en masse during Navaratri. He said that barely 1 to 2 per cent of migrants had left Gujarat and added that they were sure to return after Dasara.
“People from various parts of the country come to Gujarat and work. They are stakeholders in Gujarat’s development. Each person who left Gujarat will return. Now is the holiday season in Bihar and everyone will return after the festival,” Patel said when asked about his government’s efforts to assure safety for migrant workers. Patel’s statements came on the day Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held a joint press conference in Uttar Pradesh with his counterpart Yogi Adityanath on unveiling Sardar Patel’s statue and to allay fears of the safety of non-Gujaratis in the state.
The minister highlighted that the situation was under control in his state and all efforts to ensure the safety of non-Gujaratis were being taken. “This is an attempt to disturb the harmony of communities living together for five decades. Our Chief Minister is already in Uttar Pradesh to assure his counterpart of the efforts taken for the safety if the state’s people,” he added.
HD Kumaraswamy , Governor invited to statue unveiling event
Patel was in Bengaluru for two days to invite Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala for the unveiling ceremony of ‘Statue of Unity’. The 182m tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai build on Sardar Sarovar Dam will be unveiled on October 31 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The statue has been built at a cost of Rs 2,332 crore in 48 months using 5,000 metric tonnes of iron donated by the public. “Through the media, we also extend an invitation to the people of Karnataka to take part in the ceremony,” Patel said. A museum dedicated to the life of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel has been set up at the bottom of the statue.