Amit Shah calls Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray over Bandra protest, expresses concern

Mumbai: After a protest by a large number of migrant workers at Mumbai's Bandra on Tuesday evening, Union home minister Amit Shah called Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and expressed concern. A protest in Mumbai by migrant workers demanded that they be sent back to their native places in view of the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

Such events weaken India's fight against coronavirus and the administration needs to stay vigilant to avoid these, Amit Shah told the chief minister on the phone. He also offered his full support to the Maharashtra government, said officials.

Thackeray said he has been speaking to leaders across the political spectrum in view of the coronavirus crisis.

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Thackeray, in a live webcast, said leaders of all political parties were together in the time of current crisis.

"Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi (a few days ago), I spoke to home minister Amit Shah today. I have spoken to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
"(NCP president) Sharad Pawar is also with us, (MNS leader) Raj Thackeray is also with us," he said.

He warned that his government would not allow anybody to play with sentiments of poor migrant workers and disturb law and order situation in the state.

"I will not let the situation go out of control," he said, adding culprits will be punished.

The chief minister's warning came after more than 1,000 migrant workers assembled near suburban Bandra railway station on Tuesday afternoon to demand that transport arrangements be made to send them back to their native places.

Thackeray appealed to migrants to stay calm and not to panic.

"We, Indians, can face this challenge together," he said.