Congress leader Alpesh Thakore on Tuesday rejected the reports on exodus of migrant workers from Gujarat. He said that these were all rumours and that people will return.

In fact, talking to a news channel, Thakore asserted that people were going home for Chhath Puja. For the uninitiated, Chhath Puja is one of the biggest festivals celebrated by people in north India, especially Bihar. Celebrated on sixth day from Diwali, many people working in various states head back home for the Chhath Puja. Right now, the puja is more than a month away.

However, Thakore did admit that people were being ‘ill-treated’. ‘Only one incident happened somewhere in Gujarat and I condemn it. If I've threatened anyone, I'll go to jail myself. Gujarat belongs to everyone. It is as much yours as it is mine,’ Thakore was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

On Monday, the Gujarat government had blamed the Congress MLA for the hate speech that aggravated the migrant crisis. So far, the Gujarat state police have nabbed two Thakor Sena members and a Congress party member for their involvement in provoking and spreading messages on social media against migrants from UP and Bihar in Gujarat, over the case of rape of a 14-month-old-girl in Sabarkantha.

Adalaj police, on Monday, nabbed five Thakor community members along with elected taluka member from Congress Mahotji Thakor for threatening a migrant in Uvarsad village near Adalaj area on October 2 night.

Meanwhile, the migrant crisis has also highlighted the difference of opinion between Alpesh Thakore and Hardik Patel. Addressing the media on Monday about the rising attacks on migrants allegedly by Thakor Sena members, Patel said, “I completely disagree with Congress MLA and Thakor Sena leader Alpesh Thakor’s stand on the North Indian community. Violence against any particular community or targeting somebody is intolerable. The entire community should not be punished for one person.”