Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari on Thursday alleged that illegal migrants living in Assam and other parts of the country are responsible for the attacks on people from the northeast and the recent violence at Mumbai's Azad Maidan.
"The attacks in some parts of the country on people from the northeast is unfortunate... These are being perpetrated by illegal migrants living in the country. There is a foreign hand in this. The Centre should deal firmly with such incidents," Gadkari told PTI.
"The problem in Assam is not religious or communal but that of the Indian versus the outsider. Anti-national people are involved in this violence. Similarly, in Mumbai the crowd had waived Pakistani flag and made provocative remarks. They also vandalised the martyrs' memorial," Gadkari said.
Gadkari said he has directed Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar as well as chief ministers of other BJP ruled states to ensure that no harm is done to people from the northeeast residing in their states. He said Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok went to the Bengaluru railway station and assured the northeast people that there was no cause for panic and urged them not to leave the state.
"The political parties should not use this issue for vote bank politics," Gadkari added.
The violence against the people from the northeast and Assam would be discussed at a meeting of BJP chief ministers to be held on Saturday, Gadkari said.
The BJP also condemned the attack on the media and the assault on women police personnel by the demonstrators at Azad Maidan.