'Concentrate on cricket': Odisha Minister slams Trinamool MP for his remarks on Bengali migrant workers

Bhubaneswar, May 4 (IANS) Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Sunday slammed former Indian cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan to concentrate on cricket rather than making statements about Odisha, a state he has zero knowledge of.

Reacting to the letter written by the Trinamool MP to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 27 regarding alleged violence against Bengali migrant workers in Odisha, Pujari said, “If he concentrated on cricket, it would be better for the country. Don’t make unreasonable allegations, as you do not know issues other than cricket.”

Pujari further added that Pathan should instead raise his voice to stop atrocities against Hindus in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan also targeted the political leaders raising objections over the action taken against illegal infiltrators in Odisha.

“Whoever the infiltrator is, who has illegally come to Odisha, either from Pakistan or Bangladesh or from any other country, they will not be allowed to stay here. We will identify the Bangladeshi infiltrators and will ask them to go back to their country. The people and political leaders raising such concerns should understand this,” said the Law Minister.

Trinamool MPs - Yousuf Pathan and Samirul Islam - have written separate letters to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention in connection with the alleged growing incidents of violence against the Bengali migrant labourers working in Odisha and other states of the country.

“I write to you with grave concern regarding the alarming rise in incidents of violence against migrant workers from West Bengal, particularly those hailing from my constituency, Berhampore, Murshidabad and surrounding districts, who have recently returned from Odisha after being subjected to targeted attacks,” alleged the Cricketer-turned-politician in his letter to Amit Shah.

He alleged that, according to multiple reports and firsthand accounts, following the formation of the BJP government in Odisha, several organised groups have allegedly launched systematic assaults on labourers from West Bengal.

“As per available information, approximately 20,000 workers have fled Odisha in recent days in fear for their lives. Numerous videos documenting these attacks have circulated on social media, further substantiating the gravity of the situation and triggering widespread public concern,” Pathan said.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha Trinamool MP Samirul Islam has also written a letter to Amit Shah, alleging that Bengali-speaking migrants are being targeted in different parts of the country despite possessing valid identification documents, and asked him to direct all states to ensure their safety, dignity and constitutional rights.

--IANS

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