After a video of two groups of workers fighting in a textile factory went viral, Tiruppur Police clarified on Friday that it was actually a minor dispute between two individuals but had been portrayed by vested interests groups as a Tamils vs Migrants issue.
The New Indian Express has quoted Commissioner of Police as saying that the issue was started by a local Tamil blowing cigarette smoke in the face of migrant labour, which escalated into a fight between the two. Later, the local who had a dispute with the migrant worker gathered some of his friends and attempted to attack the migrant worker, who retaliated with the help of his fellow migrant workers.
The police said, “A migrant worker from the garment unit at Thilagar Nagar West in Velampalayam, stepped out for a break to a roadside shop on January 14. A resident reportedly argued with him and blew cigarette smoke at his face.”
The police further added, “This enraged the worker and the argument turned physical. The migrant worker retaliated and moved away from the spot. Later, the local along with a few friends entered the garment unit and attacked the worker. With the support of his colleagues, he retaliated. A police patrol arrived on the spot and pacified both parties.”
The police further stated that it was some vested interest groups which tried to portray the dispute between the two individuals as Tamil vs North Indian issue.
It is worth noting that in recent days, Tamil Nadu has seen a orchestrated racist campaign against North Indian workers. Idumbavanam Karthik, a Naam Tamilar cadre, has been spreading hatred against North Indians by uploading random videos from crowded places, such as markets or railway stations, and claiming that North Indians are flooding into Tamil Nadu in large numbers, which has no veracity.
ஆவடியில் அணி அணியாய் வந்து இறங்கிய வடநாட்டவர்கள்! pic.twitter.com/3vORWr4URj
— இடும்பாவனம் கார்த்திக் (@idumbaikarthi) January 20, 2023
Saattai Duraimurugan, another Naam Tamilar cadre and serial liar who was arrested and charged under the Goondas Act for spreading lies about Foxconn, has now posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he attempts to link all crimes in Tamil Nadu to North Indians. He claimed that North Indians bring drugs from their home state and sell them in Tamil Nadu in order to live a luxurious lifestyle.
While on one hand political outfits have been peddling hatred against north Indian migrant labourers, popular Youtube Channels and other social media handles have been stereotyping and spreading racist canards against people of other states.
Slurs like ‘Vadakkan’, ‘Paani Puri wala’ ‘Panparag vaayan’ have been normalised through social media. Recently a popular YouTube channel named Paridhabangal, led by Gopi and Sudhakar, released a video attempting to portray North Indians in a negative light through their jokes and videos.
It is also noteworthy to mention that even DMK ministers like K. Pondmudi have resorted to ridiculing north Indian migrant labourers.
(with inputs from NewIndianExpress)
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