BJP MLA insulted migrant workers in Hubballi assuming they are infiltrators: Congress leader

Congress leader Rajat Ullagaddimath has accused Hubballi-Dharwad Central MLA Mahesh Tenginakai of insulting migrant workers thinking they were infiltrators.

“He made hundreds of workers, who were travelling to other cities, including in West Bengal, sit on the floor and interrogated them in an inhumane manner at a bus stand in Hubballi on May 23.

“The elected representative behaved rudely with poor workers and suspected their nationality. It is a matter of shame for the whole society,” he told reporters on May 24.

Mr. Ullagaddimath criticised police officers, who were present, accusing them of failing to follow the rule of law . “Instead of taking action as per the law, the police officers present at the scene of the incident completely succumbed to the pressure of the MLA and allowed him to continue the inhumane act. The fact that the police went to great lengths to pacify and appease just one MLA is a reflection of the complete degradation of today’s administrative system,” he said.

“If this is how we treat labourers, who will come to work on Hubballi’s infrastructure projects and industries? Indian workers should not be treated this way in India. Will the MLA and his followers do such hard work?”