The state government on Wednesday submitted before the Gujarat High Court that it has taken sufficient measures to protect the rights of migrants residing in the state and the cases of violence against them have been dealt with an iron hand. The submission came in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) contending that the state has failed in protecting the rights of migrants who had to leave Gujarat due to the attacks and threats received by them. Notably, the division bench of chief justice R Subhash Reddy and justice VM Pancholi had on October 11 directed the state government to provide details of the steps taken by it to dissipate the fear among migrant workers in Gujarat. In the response filed by home department's under-secretary Pankaj Dave, the state had reiterated its stand that anyone residing in the state of Gujarat is an Indian citizen and is entitled to enjoy all the democratic rights enshrined by the Constitution. The state government considers it a solemn obligation and duty to protect and preserve the liberty and property of every citizen, the affidavit provides. The government has pointed out that Gujarat being an industrialised state is a home to lakh of migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. The affidavit filed by the state government provides the details of arrests made by the administration to control the attacks on migrants and that 17 companies and one platoon of state reserve police were deployed at sensitive locations to control the situation. The state also clarified that it had minutely monitored the social networking sites and messaging applications and action were taken against those trying to spread hatred through these platforms. The state had also requested the court that the PIL should be closed considering the fact that not a single incident of violence or attacks on migrants had taken place in the past eight days. PLACE FOR ALL The state had reiterated its stand that anyone residing in the state of Gujarat is an Indian citizen and is entitled to enjoy all the democratic rights enshrined by Constitution.

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