Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The heat of Gujarat unrest, owing to which migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are being targeted and forced to flee the state, is being felt in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has sought to up the ante, asking the PM to take initiatives to secure those who had elected him and send him to the top post in the country.

Targeting Modi, Mayawati on Tuesday said it was unfortunate and sad that those who elected Modi from Varanasi and made him prime minister were being targeted in his home state. She called upon the BJP government in Gujarat to ensure strict action against those responsible for the attacks on the migrants.

She said the “hate crime” being perpetrated under the Vijay Rupani government against people from UP and Bihar had led to anarchy, suspicion, lawlessness and violence.

“It is a cause of great concern.”

In Varanasi, a group called UP-Bihar Ekta Manch has put up posters in several areas with a note for the PM saying: “Narendra Modi Banaras Chhodo (Narendra Modi, Quit Varanasi)”. They also warned the Gujarati people living in the city to leave within a week or be ready to face the consequences.

SSP Anand Kulkarni claimed no one would be allowed to issue threats to anyone or intimidate any community.

However, the group members are taking to the streets and raising anti-Modi slogans. The campaign is being spearheaded by Vishwanath Kunwar, a former student of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith.

“We gave respect to Modi and elected him to lead the country. But today when people from UP and Bihar are being targeted in Gujarat, he (Modi) is silent,” said Kunwar wondering, “Have we elected him to see our people being beaten up and ousted from Gujarat?”