Rupani also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to take action against his party-men inciting the violence
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Monday Gujarat is a mini-India as he blamed the Congress for inciting the recent violence against non-migrants in the state. Rupani made the comment in Lucknow while speaking with reporters after a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
"India is one, and Gujarat is of (Mahatma) Gandhi, Sardar (Vallabhbhai Patel) and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji. It is a mini-India (laghu Bharat) for all Indians, and we ensure everyone's honour, safety, and development, Rupani said.
The CM was responding to questions about attacks on Hindi-speaking migrants in his state following the rape of a 14-month-old child by a migrant worker in Sabarkantha district on September 28. As many as 70,000 migrants, mostly from UP, MP and Bihar, are estimated to have left Gujarat in the wake of the violence, though the exodus has stopped due to strong confidence building measures by the administration, and many of those who had left, are returning.
Rupani alleged that opposition Congress had instigated the violence against the migrants.
"The violence was a conspiracy by Congress in view of elections in four states, and inauguration of Statue of Unity," he said.
"Congress does not have any issues to take to people, and hence it is resorting to politics of hate. The violence was an attempt to incite people to bring a bad name to Gujarat, but we dealt with a stern hand, and the situation is under control," he said, assuring the safety of people living in the state.
Rupani also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to take action against his party-men inciting the violence.
Later, at an event, the chief minister said that people from UP, Bihar, and other states had contributed to Gujarat's development.
"The manner in which sugar dissolves in milk, people from across the country living in Surat, Ahmedabad, Kutch and Vadodara are living in harmony, and taking Gujarat ahead," he said.
Rupani extended an invitation to Yogi Adityanath to visit the Statue of Unity, which is slated to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31.
The Gujarat CM described the Statue, which has come up near Narmada dam in south Gujarat, as a fitting tribute to Sardar Patel.
"The Statue of Unity is the symbol of our unity. We want to challenge anti-India forces that we all are one, and no one will be able to break this country," he added.
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 "Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani (right) with his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath (centre)")
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