Tejashwi Yadav Corners BJP Over Goa CM Pramod Sawant's Controversial Remark About Bihar Migrants

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav today slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Goa CM Pramod Sawant's remark blaming the migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for crimes in the coastal state. In a Hindi Tweet, Yadav alleged that after Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Goa CM is the latest to insult Bihar and Biharis. He questioned the BJP over their alleged hate for Bihar and Biharis.

"After Union Minister Piyush Goyal, now Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has insulted Bihar and Biharis by making a shameful statement. Why do BJP and BJP leaders hate Bihar and Biharis? Why does the BJP government at the Center always remain negative and indifferent towards all the rights, reasonable demands and rights of Bihar?" said Tejashwi Yadav. 

केंद्रीय मंत्री पीयूष गोयल जी के बाद अब गोवा के मुख्यमंत्री प्रमोद सावंत ने शर्मनाक बयान देकर बिहार और बिहारियों का घोर अपमान किया है।

भाजपा और भाजपाई नेताओं को बिहार और बिहारियों से नफरत क्यों है?

केंद्र की बीजेपी सरकार बिहार के सभी हकों, वाजिब माँगों व अधिकारों को लेकर सदा… — Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) May 3, 2023

The RJD leader's remarks came a day after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's controversial remark about the migrants. Addressing the labour day function on May 1 in the state, Sawant said that about 90 per cent of the crimes in Goa are committed by migrant labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other states. The chief minister urged the contractors to get the labourers registered and seek their labour cards before employing them.

Referring to increasing crime in the state, Pramod Sawant said that it becomes difficult for the state police to trace a labourer if he returns to his home state after committing a crime in Goa. He said that the Goa government has roped in two NGOs to ensure that all labourers are issued the cards. The chief minister announced that the facility to enrol the labourers for the card would be made online soon.

Pramod Sawant said that every migrant labour should have a labour card issued by the state government. Labour card consists of a unique ID number for each registered person and is also used by the state governments to extend welfare measures to them. The Goa government issues labour cards to people working in the private, unorganised and industrial sectors.

Last year, Union Minister Piyush Goyal had courted controversy after saying that if the RJD leaders have their way, they will turn the entire country into Bihar. Goyal had later apologised for his remarks.