Political outfits bat for Assamese students

The butterfly effect of the protests in Assam causing tensions in metropolitan cities of Mumbai Bengaluru and Pune is now attracting political attention While thousands of northeastern Indians gathered at Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Terminus LTT on Thursday night to migrate back home several political parties and organisations reached the scene Homeward bound Almost 3000 people left the city aboard the Guwahati Express last morning even as political parties appealed for them to stay PicSayed Sameer Abedi On Thursday night members from RSS Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarti Parishad ABVP and Bhartiya Janta Party BJP were seen at Kurla LTT trying to stop the masses of migrant workers students and families based in northeastern states from returning home The party workers also made arrangements for water and other basic amenities for the masses of people waiting to board Kurla LTTGuwahati express on Friday morning ldquoWe reached Kurla LTT station as soon as we came to know about the mass exodus and tried to stop them from going back But it seemed they were terrifiedrdquo said Kiran Damle an RSS worker who was present at Kurla LTT He and his team were present at the terminus till 330 am on Friday Some workers were also seen carrying placards in their bags ldquoWe will be demonstrating against this exodus in support of these migrants at CST stationrdquo said A Deshpande member ABVP wing He claimed that they also tried to dissuade Assamese students studying in Mumbai from leaving the city ldquoWe ensured that we were behind them and they wouldnrsquot be harmed by anyonerdquo added Deshpande ABVP members also began signature campaigns in order to garner support which they claimed would be submitted to the state government ldquoThis is not an issue to which parties are trying to add a political colour In fact all parties should come togetherrdquo said S Deodhar member BJP North East India cell One of the members from BJPrsquos rail commuters wing said that the state government has failed to instil confidence in young students who are fleeing the city ldquoWe will be carrying out a huge morcha on Saturday in protest of the recent riot and will come together at CST station We will then assemble at Azad Maidanrdquo said M Kotian member BJPrsquos rail commuter wing However those leaving for Assam didnrsquot care much for the political wooing as by yesterday morning thousands had boarded the Guwahati Express Railway police officials posted at Kurla terminus claimed that these migrants feared not only for their lives but were also worried about their families back in Assam Indians from the northeastern states claim that there have been rumours milling around that if they donrsquot return to their home state they would be harmed However efforts to dismiss the rumours have been made by the Central government right up to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who made a statement to the media that ldquoWe must work together to ensure that all people from other states do not feel threatened by rumourmongering and SMSes We have to maintain peace at any costrdquo Nearly 3000 people boarded the Guwahati Express that left last morning amidst tight security from both GRP and RPF People from Manipur and Nagaland were seen at Kurla LTT booking counters waiting to book tickets However everyone claimed that there wasnrsquot any threat and that they were returning for personal reasonsu00a0