Action against guilty in Manipur migrant killings: Govt

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) Describing as ''shameful'' the killing of 14 Hindi-speaking migrant labourers in Manipur, the Government today assured that ''strict action'' will be taken against people involved in the incident.

''Such incidents in the name of states, religion, language are happening in North Eastern, Southern and Western parts of the country. It is a deliberate design to destabilise the country and slow down the economic growth,'' Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the Rajya Sabha in reply to supplementaries.

Replying to CPM leader Brinda Karat's query as to what strategy was being adopted to check such incidence, the Minister said state governments have been asked to identify areas where such incidents can take place and also identify people who indulge in them to take anticipatory action.

''To protect innocent people police needs to take anticipatory action. Chief Ministers, bureaucrats and police officials of states have been asked to follow up and take action,'' he added.

In Manipur, militants gunned down 14 migrant labourers, mostly from Bihar, since Monday night. Most of the bodies had a piece of paper stuck to them saying ''go back to your home states''.

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