Bangalore:
The Centre and the Karnataka government have repeatedly emphasised that there is no threat to people from the North-East living in Bangalore and that all talk of a possible attack are only rumours. There has been no incident of violence and the state government has said that all security measures are in place.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said in Delhi this morning, "I appeal to the people not to spread any rumours. Strict action will be taken against those who do that." Home Secretary RK Singh too reiterated that there is "no threat to people from the North East in any part of the country." "There has been no incident of violence in Karnataka. People need to stop spreading rumours," he added.
Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who heads the BJP government in Karnataka, too has said students from the North East are not at risk at all. He is meeting students from the North East right now to reassure them that they are safe. BJP President Nitin Gadkari too underscored that and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said, "Panic due to rumours in Karnataka is a very serious issue. The Karnataka government will do everything to protect the people from the North-East. It is a case of concerted effort to create divide among people." She also added that her party would raise the issue in Parliament tomorrow and urged the Centre to intervene to help contain the panic.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister had called Mr Shettar asking him to ensure the safety of the thousands of students from the North-East who live in Bangalore.
Students were seen crowding railway stations as two special trains left Bangalore on Wednesday night for Assam. Officials stress that these were put into service only because of a huge demand for tickets in view of the long weekend for Eid. Mr Shinde said today, "We have asked for two more trains today because of a lot of people are wanting to go to Assam. If need be more trains will be added to the route."
The Press Trust of India quoted Mr Shettar as saying that police officials have been using the public address system at the railway station to announce that there is no law and order problem or reason to exit the city in panic. The state's Home Minister R Ashoka also visited the station yesterday to counter rumours and reassure passengers that no community has been targeted or attacked. Bangalore with its software firms and educational institutions is among India's most cosmopolitan cities.
The alert for the police and the administration had come after reports that threatening SMS-es had been received by some North-Eastern students. Doctored photos on social media are also being circulated, say sources, resulting in tension.
Ethnic clashes in Assam killed more than 70 people and displaced nearly four lakh people over the last month. Only in the last few days have some residents of the areas in and around Kokrajhar, the epicentre of the violence, begun returning to their villages from relief camps set up at school buildings and colleges.
The clashes between Assam's tribals and Bengali-speaking Muslims have put other cities on edge in the last few days. Over the weekend, a demonstration in Mumbai against the violence in Assam was attended by thousands; it ended in a riot with an armed mob attacking the crowd, policemen and reporters.
A doctored MMS that was circulated in Mumbai also allegedly provoked violence against the North-Eastern community in nearby Pune. 12 people have been attacked in the last week in the city known for its IT hub and colleges. 11 people have been arrested.