Bihar officials hold interactions with migrant workers in TN, allay fears

Chennai, March 7: In a bid to allay fears, officials of Bihar government on Tuesday interacted with Bihar-based migrant workers in Chennai.
The two officials from Bihar government, Balamurugan– Rural Development Department Secretary and superintendent of police (SP), special task force Santhosh Kumar, met with the migrant workers, who are spooked after several “false” videos of attacks on them surfaced on social media.
“A few videos circulated through WhatsApp and other social media platforms with a message that these incidents (alleged attacks) happened with Bihari labourers. It has been confirmed that those videos are fake,” Balamurugan said, adding that the situation is returning to normalcy.
Earlier on Monday, Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu said that the situation is peaceful and the workers have resumed their work.
While speaking to ANI, the top cop urged the media to act responsibly while also asking the people not to spread any such messages on social media which are “offensive”.
“The situation now is peaceful and the workers have resumed their work. A few of them have left for the Holi celebrations. They had already booked their tickets and therefore they are gone, otherwise, we are able to convince them through the employers. The police officers have reached out to the migrant workers and also convinced them that there is no such incident of attack on Bihari workers or workers from any other state here. Whatever they have seen in the media that the migrant labourers are attacked, they are all fake videos,” the police official said.
He said that the migrant labourers are now convinced, as a result of the reach out by the police. “Most of them have not even taken place in Tamil Nadu. They were now convinced. In the places where the north Indian workers were employed, we have intensified the police patrol. Hindi-knowing police officers are in constant touch with them,” he said.
The DGP informed that special helplines were set up in districts including Erode, Tripur, Coimbatore, and Chennai to encourage people to come forward to give a complaint “if at all there is any”.
“There has been not even one complaint from them,” he said.
Mentioning the team from Bihar which visited the state to gather information about the alleged ‘attacks’, the police officer said that they have visited almost all places in the state where the migrant labourers are employed.
“They have got the first-hand information that every offensive information that has been published from March 1 onwards, is devoid of truth. They are completely fake videos. The district administration and the police are in touch with the employers and sometimes the workers,” he said.
The DGP elaborated on the steps taken by the administration and police to counter the rumours and said that the real motive behind the rumours and fake videos can be ascertained after the investigation.
“Since March 1, we started countering the fake information. On March 2, I came on video and clarified the situation about a particular video. My officers who are also from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh also gave video bytes. Our 37 social media cells have also countered in terms of comments, and other means that these incidents have never taken place in Tamil Nadu. We requested to delete these contents. Many of the channels did not delete, therefore, we have registered criminal cases against them. Because of this, many of them have deleted the contents,” he said adding that some of them are still keeping it.
He said that the police have registered nine cases so far and investigating the matter.
“We have registered nine cases so far based on the legal opinion and complaints. We are investigating and based on the investigation, it will be possible for us to know what is the real motive behind the creation of such videos and without verifying the facts, they still continue to do it,” the police official said.
He appealed to the migrant workers not to believe in what has been reported in the media and the rumours on social media stating that the police officials are active in their protection. “Rumours are very dangerous and can cause serious law and order problems. Therefore, do not forward any such posts on social media which is very offensive and which can cause serious bitterness between two groups of people. I appeal to the migrant workers that there is nothing of this nature which has been reported in the press has happened. You can trust our officers, we are in touch with you. Keep attending to your work. There is nothing adverse here. We are always here for your protection,” he said.
“Everybody must act responsibly including the members of the press,” the DGP added. (ANI)