GUWAHATI, Aug 18 � The Government of Karnataka has asserted that it is fully committed to ensure full security to the people of Northeast residing in that State, while the Andhra Pradesh Government has also issued similar assurance to the people of the region.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, R Ashoke, who is also in charge of the Home Department of the State, said that the situation is well under control and there is no reason for the people of the Northeast to become apprehensive. He appealed to all the people of the Northeast, who left Karnataka to return and said that their security would be ensured.
Ashoke said that no incident of violence took place in any part of Karnataka, but spreading
of rumours created panic among a section of people of NE region living in the State. He said that according to an estimate of the Government, around 3.50 lakh people of the NE, including students and professionals, are living in Bangalore alone and only around five percent of them have left following spreading of rumours.
The Minister said that he has been visiting the railway station regularly to reassure the people NE since the day the exodus started. He revealed that in the last couple of days, around 8,000 people of the NE left Bangalore on an average every day, but only around 200 people boarded the train today, which is quite normal.
On the steps taken by the Karnataka Government to ensure safety of the people of NE, Ashoke said that all possible measures have been taken to ensure safety of people, including students. He said that some people spread rumours via SMS and three incidents of issuing threats over phones were reported. Six persons have been arrested in this connection, following which spreading of rumours has also stopped and the situation is now normal.
The Minister said that the Government of Karnataka has also held meetings with educational institutions, hotels and IT sector companies and asked them to ensure full security to the people of NE and to report anything unusual to the police immediately. �The people of the Northeast are our brothers and it is our responsibility to ensure their safety,� he asserted.
Meanwhile, Assam Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain today held a meeting with the Home Minister and other Ministers and officers of the Government of Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad to review the situation following the exodus of a large number of people of NE from that State.
Talking to this correspondent after the meeting, Bordoloi said that the Government of Andhra Pradesh has assured full security to the people of the region and appealed to all those who left Hyderabad, in the last few days following rumours, to return.
Bordoloi said that most of those who left Hyderabad used to work in security agencies, IT sector, hotels and restaurants and in most cases they left Hyderabad after receiving calls from their homes. He said that not a single incident of violence was reported from any part of Andhra Pradesh and though the death of one youth from Assam was reported, it was later found that the person died in an accident as he fell down from an overcrowded train.
Bordoloi said that only the rumours created panic and the pressure from homes also added to the pressure on the minds of the youths who left Hyderabad.
