Prashant Umrao is the spokesperson of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP.
New Delhi:
A case has been registered against a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh for spreading rumors on social media about the “murder” of migrant workers from Bihar in Tamil Nadu. A newspaper editor and owner of a local daily have also been booked separately by Tamil Nadu for promoting enmity and a police team has been formed to arrest them, officials said.
Sharing a picture of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Prashant Umrao, who is the spokesperson of the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit, had tweeted that “12 migrants from Bihar were hanged Tamil Nadu to speak in Hindi”.
Mr Umrao had said that despite the attacks on migrants, the Bihar leader attended Mr Stalin’s birthday celebrations.
The tweet, which garnered over 14,000 likes, has since been deleted.
Tamil Nadu Police has charged Prashant Umrao with creating enmity between people on grounds of region and language. It has also registered a case against the editor of Dainik Bhaskar and the proprietor of Tanveer Post for promoting enmity and inciting riots.
Over the past week, a large number of fake messages have been shared on WhatsApp about attacks on migrant workers in the southern state of Bihar, prompting state governments in Tamil Nadu and Bihar to issue warnings against such messages.
Chief Minister MK Stalin has issued a statement assuring the safety of migrant workers in the state. “Migrant workers need not fear. If anyone threatens you, call the helpline. Tamil Nadu government and people will stand up to protect our migrant brothers,” he said.
The District Magistrates of Tamil Nadu have issued an appeal in Hindi urging migrant workers not to be afraid.
Police in both the states are keeping a close watch on social media to check rumors about attacks on migrant workers.
Sources in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s office told NDTV that the Bihar government has also sent officials to Tamil Nadu to meet the migrant workers along with local officials.
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