‘Jobless migrants may do illegal activities’: Bihar Police letter puts Nitish govt in a spot

The Bihar Police withdrew the letter, claiming it was an error of judgement. However, the opposition is using the issue to question the Nitish Kumar govt on its promise of jobs.

File photo of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar | Photo: ANI

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been under fire for “dumping” migrant workers amid the Covid-29 crisis, is at the centre of yet another controversy after a controversial letter from the police headquarters surfaced this week, insinuating that the massive influx of migrant workers may cause a law and order situation.

The letter was issued on 29 May by ADG (law and order) Amit Kumar to all superintendents of police (SP). However, Kumar issued another letter on 4 June saying the earlier letter was issued by mistake and, therefore, withdrawn. ThePrint has seen copies of both the letters.

The first letter noted the huge return of migrant labourers for the last two months in the wake of the Covid lockdown.

“Due to serious financial economic challenges, all of them are tensed and in problem. Despite the efforts of the state government, the possibility of providing desired employment to all of them does not appear possible. They (migrant labourers ) may indulge in immoral and illegal activities to support themselves and their families. It can have an adverse impact on law and order,” the letter stated, asking all SPs to draw up a plan to deal with the situation. 

Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey told The Print the letter was an “error of judgment”.

“Information keeps coming from districts and we analyse the information. But this letter was an error of judgment. When we realised our mistake, we withdrew the letter,” he said. 

But other police officers told ThePrint the letter was not the problem. “… the letter had to be withdrawn due to political reasons,” said a police officer, who didn’t want to be named. 

‘Where are the jobs?’ 

The letter could not have come at a worst time for CM Nitish Kumar. 

On Wednesday, while addressing panchayat members, Kumar assured the returning migrant labourers that jobs would be provided to them under various government schemes. He also blamed other states for the plight of the migrant labourers and said they shouldn’t return to those states for employment. 

However, there have been reports of migrant labourers wanting to go back to the cities where they were working.

“The government is coming with figures and claims. They say they have created over 4 crore man-days for the migrant labourers. The fact is that there are people already working in various government schemes. Where are the additional jobs,” asked RJD vice-president Shivanand Tiwari.

As of Saturday morning, Bihar has 4,596 total Covid cases and migrant labourers account for 75 per cent of these cases.

‘Nitish made a mockery of dignity of labour’ 

Attacking Nitish Kumar over the letter, leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav said: “Does the Nitish government consider migrant labourers criminals?”

He said the chief minister made a mockery of the dignity of labour and dignity of human.

“The migrants are being treated as second class citizens in their own state,” Yadav said, asking the government to come out with details of employment promised to the returning migrant labourers.

Yadav further said the letter has been withdrawn by the police headquarters due to pressure from CM Kumar, who also looks after Bihar’s home department. 

BJP spokesperson Rajni Ranjan Patel, however, said the NDA government in Bihar has done “everything possible for the returning migrant labourers, including transferring money, free ration for (the next) 3 months”.

“Tejashwi is trying to politicise a letter, which was issued by mistake,” he added.

Another BJP leader said: “The letter has given the opposition a weapon to beat the government during the elections despite the withdrawal.”

Bihar assembly elections are due in October-November.