Nitish asks Amarinder to ensure security of migrant labourers

New Delhi, Aug 27 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today requested his Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to take steps to provide adequate protection to migrant Bihari labourers in Punjab.

Mr Kumar talked to Mr Patil and Mr Singh over the telephone from here and expressed his concern and anguish about the safety and security of Bihar migrant workers in Punjab.

In a statement, he called it a ''serious and sensitive issue.'' Mr Kumar expressed concern over an incident in Basti Jodhewal area in Ludhiana where scores of agitating labourers were injured in a clash with police on August 25. They were protesting against the police drive to issue mandatory identity cards to them.

Official sources here said the Chief Minister had directed Bihar Chief Secretary G S Kang and Director General of Police Ashish Ranjan Sinha to talk to their counterparts in Punjab about the issue.

Mr Kumar has sent two officers of Bihar government posted at Delhi -- Mr Karu Ram and Mr Rabindra Kumar -- to Basti Jodhewal in Punjab.

''The two officers will meet the responsible local officers and people's representatives along with affected Bihari labourers, in order to assess the situation and to ensure that protection be extended to them,'' the sources said.

Mr Kumar has constituted a three-member committee of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to visit different places in Punjab to assess the situation and report the matter to their respective parties and the state government.

The committee will have Devesh Chandra Thakur, Prof Asalam Azad (both JD-U) and Mr Sanjay Jha (BJP). All the three are members of the Bihar Legislative Council.

The Chief Minister has assured the families of Bihari migrant workers that the state government ''is totally committed to their security and will leave no stone unturned for their protection'', the statement said.

UNI SH YA KN1745