Kalaburagi , Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday said one person has been arrested here for allegedly having links with terror groups through social media, while further investigation was underway against the other.
“We have taken this seriously. We are combing through social media and other activities of migrant workers. However, he urged employers to verify the backgrounds of people they hire.
Because workers were hired for short periods, the minister said employers are not coming forward adequately for background verification, often treating the issue casually.
Two youths, both originally from outside Karnataka, came under the scanner following a joint operation by the central agencies and the state government’s Internal Security Division, he said. “We have arrested one person, and further investigation is underway against the other,” the minister said. We will not take this lightly and will take necessary action in coordination with the Government of India,” he said. On migrant workers moving to Karnataka in search of employment, the home minister said the government could not prevent people from coming to the state to earn a livelihood, as it was their constitutional right. He said the government would convene a meeting after the festival next week with quick-commerce and delivery companies, logistics firms, coffee associations and homestay operators to formulate standard operating procedures for employee verification. Asked whether the government would set up a separate anti-sleeper-cell squad, Kharge said it was not necessary as existing agencies were already responsible for such operations.
