Akali Dal leader gets threats amid rising hate against migrants

Amid growing tensions over the migrant issue in Punjab, Mahesh Verma, former director of the Punjab Parvasi Welfare Board and a senior member of the Shiromani Akali Dal’s Parvasi Wing, has alleged that he is receiving threats from the country and foreign countries.

Verma has lodged a complaint with the city police and sent copies to the Chief Minister and the Punjab DGP, urging immediate registration of an FIR and the arrest of unknown suspects. He has appealed to the state government to ensure the safety of his family.

He said, “I strongly condemned the ghastly incident in which a minor boy was kidnapped, subjected to unnatural sex and murdered by a man in Hoshiarpur and believe the guilty would be punished as per the law of the country.”

He said he has been constantly getting threatening calls from unknown foreign and national numbers as he raised the voice against the backlash against migrants in the media. He alleged the callers have been threatening to harm his family.

The threats come at a time when anti-migrant rhetoric has escalated following the Hoshiarpur incident. While political leaders have condemned the crime, several migrant welfare representatives, including Verma, have voiced concerns over the safety of migrants. Several village panchayats had passed resolutions against the migrants in Punjab.

The police said the matter is under investigation and necessary action will be taken to trace the origin of the threatening calls.

“A probe has been marked to Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) for further investigations,” said Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar.