Attacks on migrants Congress’ ‘planned conspiracy’: Gujarat CM

CM PTI, LUCKNOW: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Monday termed the attacks against Hindi-speaking non-Gujaratis in the western state a "planned conspiracy" of the Congress and asserted that his government was extending full security to all.

"It was a planned conspiracy of (a) Congress MLA... Elections are slated in four states and the 'Statue of Unity' is all set to be unveiled... therefore, the Congress tried to create problems, but the Gujarat government foiled all such efforts and there is complete peace in the state now," Rupani said at a joint press conference with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here.

Gujarat Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor is facing heat over the alleged incitement of violence by him against north Indians living in the state.

Rupani reached here Sunday to invite Adityanath to attend the unveiling function of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 'Statue of Unity' at Narmada bank in Gujarat on October 31.

Adityanath thanked Rupani and said he has accepted the invitation of his Gujarat counterpart.

Rupani said the Gujarat government took strict measures and normalcy has returned in the state, after it was hit by a spate of attacks on Hindi-speaking migrants, mostly from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

"More than 700 people have been arrested of which more than 50 are Congressmen... Over 100 were spreading instigating messages on social media and many of them were from the Congress party," he said.

He claimed that no untoward incident has taken place in the state for the past several days.

The state government has provided security to all, he said.

The Gujarat CM said that legal action will be taken against the Congress MLA for inflammatory speech.

In an oblique reference to Shaktisinh Gohil, Rupani said incidentally a Congress leader, who is the in-charge for party affairs in Bihar, is talking about "throwing Biharis out".

He also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to take action against the leader.

Gohil, a former leader of the opposition in the Gujarat Assembly, is the AICC in-charge for Bihar.

Congress workers Sunday tried to show black flags to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on his visit to the Uttar Pradesh capital.

To a question on his blaming Congress for the problems in Gujarat while the party workers were staging protests during his visit here, Rupani said it was a case of "thief calling for action against the police."