Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Saturday that those who had spread rumours that migrant workers were being attacked in Tamil Nadu were acting against the country. He said the State had always been a cradle of mercy and extended a helping hand to people arriving here.
In a statement here, Mr. Stalin said those who spread rumours had caused harm to national integrity. Strict legal action would be taken against those who spread rumours and caused fear and panic in Tamil Nadu with videos and pictures of certain incidents that had taken place in other States, he warned.
‘Known for hospitality’
“It is highly condemnable that some people are indulging in such dirty politics on social media. Tamil Nadu is known for its hospitality and supports people who come and settle here. People who have come to Tamil Nadu from the northern States and live here will vouch for this better than we do,” Mr. Stalin said.
To support his argument, he recalled the views expressed by a woman from north India on a private television talk show that her child who could not speak was speaking now after receiving treatment worth lakhs of rupees under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.
The Chief Minister said he had spoken to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and assured him that all workers in Tamil Nadu were the State’s own workers. “They help us in the development of our State and no harm will come to them,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said people from different States had been coming to Tamil Nadu over the years for trade, profession, health, education, and work, and they had risen in life and also raised Tamil Nadu’s economy.
“In the recent past, there has been an increase in the number of workers from other States coming to Tamil Nadu in search of employment. This is due to the fact that here, employment opportunities exist in various sectors such as services, construction, small and large industries. The reason for a large number of labourers from different States to come here is the assurance that if one arrives in Tamil Nadu, they will get work and have a peaceful life,” he said.
The State government provided basic amenities to the workers of all the States and ensured that the benefits and protection under various labour welfare laws were extended to them, he said.
