By IANS,
Guwahati: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister R. Ashoka Saturday assured people of the northeastern states of their security in Bangalore and other cities and requested them to return to the state and resume their activities.
Ashoka arrived in Guwahati and met Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and briefed him about the security arrangements made in Karnataka.
He also met some of the students and workers who had fled Bangalore and other places following rumours of possible attacks on them.
“The Karnataka Police have already taken action against rumour mongers. So far police have arrested 23 people and 17 cases have been registered,” he said.
Ashoka will go to Manipur Sunday.
There are about 3.5 lakh people from the northeast living in Karnataka – about 2.5 lakh of them live in Bangalore alone. The community includes students and worker in hotels, security agencies and other companies.
“In the past 30 years there has been no major violence in Bangalore and Karnataka. It’s one of the peaceful states of the country. We request the people of the northeast not to go by rumours and not to have any apprehension about the security,” said R. Ashoka while addressing media persons in Guwahati.
“I have assured the Assam chief minister about the security scenario in Karnataka and he has assured that the Assam government will arrange special trains from Sep 1 to facilitate return of people to Karnataka,” he said.
“While there are about 3.5 lakh people of northeast origin in Karnataka, only about 34,627 people have left and a majority of the community are still there,” Ashoka said.