Patna: A group of officers from Bihar who had gone to Tamil Nadu to check rumours about attacks on migrant workers have said in their report that the rumours were just that, rumours. No attack on migrants happened, they said in their report after returning to Bihar from different areas of Tamil Nadu.
The latest fake video alleging attacks on migrant workers in DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu surfaced on March 6. The DMK led by Chief Minister MK Stalin is in the opposition in the centre. The latest “fake” video tweeted by Manish Kasyap, who identifies himself as a “public figure” and a “journalist” on Twitter, shows one of the “migrant workers” laughing before talking on camera. The Tamil Nadu Police have warned of legal action.
The police said the fake video on migrant attacks that surfaced on March 6 was shot in Patna.
“A lot of progress has been made by the Bihar Police, including how one video of labourers being beaten up was made in Gopalganj in Bihar,” the officers said in a statement. “A person has been arrested for sharing fake news on attacks on migrant,” they said.
Balamurugan D, who headed the committee that went to Tamil Nadu, said every piece of information about alleged attack on migrants was all based on rumours. “There is no truth in any of the videos or posts on social media,” Mr Balamurugan said.
Bihar’s senior police officer Jitendra Singh Gangavar told reporters action will be taken against those who posted the fake videos and made them go viral on social media.
The police in Tamil Nadu have issued guidelines on how to bust rumours about attacks on migrant workers in the state. The police have named five senior officers to coordinate with law enforcement agencies and other states over rumours, propaganda and disinformation. A worker in every company has been nominated as a liaison and the person will be added on the police’s official WhatsApp group for sharing information.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has also reached out to migrant workers in the state and assured them there is no threat to them as hinted by the rumours.
Tamil Nadu has a sizeable number of migrant worker population, with many from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal working in sectors including construction.
DMK leaders have alleged the hand of rival political parties behind the rumours to tarnish the state’s image. They have asked who stands to benefit – and therein lies the answer – from such rumours that put the Tamil Nadu government and the administration in a bad light.
The four-member Bihar government delegation met officials and workers in Chennai on Wednesday and expressed satisfaction over the state government’s actions after the fake videos emerged.
The delegation had earlier travelled to Tirupur and Coimbatore, both of which employ a large number of migrant workers.
