Goa CM Sawant issues clarification on remark about migrant labourers committing crimes

Panaji (Goa) [India], May 4 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday issued a clarification over his alleged remarks claiming that migrant labourers committed 90 per cent of the crimes in the coastal state and said his statement got twisted by some political leaders.
In his clarification, Sawant claimed that he was talking about the necessity of labour cards to detect crime if it is committed by labourers. "On International Labour Day, I talked in Konkani language about the necessity of labour cards to detect crime if it is committed by labourers. Some political leaders twisted it. I think they should once again go through the video and understand Konkani. We have made labour card compulsory and a labour card is necessary to detect crimes done by migrant labours," he said.
Sawant further expressed his grief for hurting the sentiments of people from other states. "If my statement had hearted the sentiments of any leader or labours knowingly or unknowingly I express my regret for it," he added further.
In his speech during a program on the occasion of International Labour Day, Sawant said "About 90% of the crimes in Goa are committed by migrant labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and adjacent states." He urged that every migrant labourer working in Goa should have a labour card issued by the state government.