New Delhi: After reports of threatening SMS-es being sent to
North Eastern students in Bangalore and other cities like Hyderabad, the
government has banned bulk text messages for the next 15 days. So no
cellphone user can send a message to more than 5 people.
Cities
like Hyderabad and Pune have been on edge with their large North Eastern
communities feeling insecure about their safety. In the last month,
nearly 80 people have died in ethnic violence in Assam and doctored
MMS-es and text messages have infected other states, warning that
students and professionals from the North East will be attacked.
Thousands
have been boarding special trains in Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad to
head back home, though many have clarified that they are visiting their
families for the long weekend. The Karnataka government has stressed
that nobody from the North East has been attacked and the police is
patrolling neighbourhoods popular with people from states like Assam,
Manipur and Mizoram, "The whole government is with you....don't worry,"
said chief minister Jagadish Shettar yesterday.
Helplines have been set up in Hyderabad ( 040-27852333 and 23261166) and Bangalore (080- 22250999, 080- 22942222).
The
government has said those who are spreading rumours online and through
text messages will be identified and punished. The Home Affairs
Ministry has ordered online surveillance.
In parliament,
leaders across political parties said that all Indians from the North
East must rest assured that their safety is a priority for the
government and that they must work and live wherever they want.
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