The full text may be read here:

“This is to draw your attention to the ongoing process of ‘identification of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants’ by the Delhi police and several other agencies under directions from the Home Ministry. We have received several complaints of harassment of genuine citizens of India on
grounds that they speak Bengali. On July 10, 2025, we along with a team of leaders of the CPI(M) from Delhi visited Bawana JJ colony in Delhi and met several of the complainants. We were shocked to find blatant violation of minimum human rights, harassment and in some cases, corruption amounting to extortion.

“We give below some examples:

“1.    Md Nizamuddin, from Godda district, Jharkhand had migrated to Delhi several decades ago. Both he and his wife have family connections in Jharkhand. He was allotted a plot by DDA in 2004 in Bawana JJ colony and presently resides there. On July 5, a team of police personnel from the local thana went to his house and accused him of helping a Bangladeshi to get illegal papers. He explained to the police that the tenant was staying there three years ago and he has no contact and had no idea of the person’s whereabouts. On July 6, the police came back at around 6 am and they handcuffed Nizamuddin and in full public view, as though he is a hardened criminal, literally dragged him to the thana. This time they accused him of being a Bangladeshi. His 28 year old daughter Shabnam followed him to the thana and produced all the documents including the property the family owned in Jharkhand. However, the police beat Nizamuddin abusing him in filthy language asking him to confess that he gave shelter to a Bangladeshi and or else he would be declared a Bangladeshi. The police picked up his entire family including an 11 year old and an 8 year old, abusing them all the time. They were released at 1 am. Again the next day on July 8, at 6 am they were taken to Vijay Vihar police station. Here again they were harassed. Their photographs were repeatedly taken including the photographs of the young women of the family. It is to be noted that no senior officer was present during this period and some junior personnel, including someone from the SHO’s office were doing the interrogation, threatening, abusing and intimidating. After some time they were released. However in the next few days, teams of police from different thanas have been going to their house demanding to see their papers. They were told that all their photographs have been uploaded on a police site and therefore they should expect such police inquiries. This case is a clear example of the lawless behaviour of the police to harass law abiding citizens of India. This family’s reputation, particularly those of the young women, have been shredded by the repeated visits of the police. All such photos should be deleted from police records as the family are bonafide Indian citizens who have committed no crime. Also action should be taken against those who beat Nizamuddin in custody.

“2.    Sajan Saudagar Das who lives in the jhuggi settlement in Bawana C block was picked up by the police on May 6. He was taken to Pritampura thana and was badly beaten there by two policemen who abused him saying that he should confess that he is a Bangladeshi. When he pleaded with them, they hit him with lathis, threw him on the ground and kicked him on his ears with their boots. One ear was badly injured. Another police officer checked his mobile phone and then said that he was picked up “by mistake.” They later told him they had got “information” that he was speaking in Bengali and so they picked him up. This is another clear case of human rights violation.

“3.    We met three aged women from 60 years to 70 years who were brought to India from Bangladesh by their parents decades ago when they were children. Their parents have died years ago. These women have married in India, their children have been born and educated here and have their own families. All three of them are widows. They were picked up by the police and taken to the police chowki in Sector 5 where they were kept for three days and nights. All their documents were taken away from them. They were produced before an officer in RK Puram, their bio-metrics taken and then they were sent back to their jhuggis. Here too police from different thanas are going to their jhuggis to question them. They have lived in India for decades and their children are Indian citizens by birth. They have no families in Bangladesh. They live in terror every day that they will be forcibly deported. This treatment to such poor, vulnerable single women is inhumane and unjust.

“4.    Similar instances are there from other places in Delhi. For example in May, in Vivekanand Camp, Chankayapuri, the police took away all ID papers of Bengalis living in the area. It was also reported that police personnel were demanding money to return the papers. When some responsible social activists inquired into this and met the police, the senior officer said he had not given any such orders. Later, the papers were returned. In two other instances, the Crime Branch personnel from Kamla Nagar and Malviya Nagar picked up two citizens of India, who are Bengali Muslims and kept them in custody. They had proof of their birth and home in West Bengal, yet they were harassed. This happened on June 24.

“5.    On June 26, in a shocking incident, eight Bengali migrant workers living and working in Delhi were forcibly sent to Bangladesh despite having proof of their residence in Paika village in Birbhum district, West Bengal. Among them were a woman and a five-year-old child. What would be their plight in Bangladesh? Now their family members in Paika village are forced to undertake the expensive and difficult task of approaching the courts for justice. The process of identification of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in the capital of India is an example of violation of minimum human rights. In the process, genuine Indian citizens are being targeted on grounds of language and religion. Is it now a crime in India to speak Bengali? Further, are all Bengali speaking Muslim citizens of India to be treated as criminals and illegal immigrants? We would like to remind you that 26 per cent of the population of West Bengal are Bengali speaking Muslims. Also, there are international norms for deportation of illegal immigrants. The present
methods of identification in Delhi violate all such norms.

“We hope you will consider these issues and intervene to restore human rights, humane behaviour of the law enforcement agencies and adequately compensate the victims for their losses.

Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Brinda Karat
(Special Invitee, CC & Ex-MP)
Anurag Saxena
(Delhi State Secretary & Member, CC)”

Related:

Bengali Migrant Workers Detained in Odisha: Calcutta High Court demands answers, seeks coordination between states

Bengali-Speaking Migrants Detained En Masse in Odisha: National security or targeted persecution?

The post Harassment by Delhi Police, blatant extortion & human rights’ violation in process of identification of “illegal Bangladeshi immigrants”: Brinda Karat to HM Amit Shah appeared first on SabrangIndia.

According to sources in The Indian Express, the operation began following a nationwide verification exercise and has seen immigrants rounded up from states as far apart as Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, Assam, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Goa. Most of them are then flown by Indian Air Force aircraft to border states such as Tripura, Meghalaya, and Assam — where they are held in makeshift camps, handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF), and “pushed back” across the border into Bangladesh, often within hours.

A senior government official confirmed to The Indian Express that Gujarat initiated the first round of detentions and currently accounts for nearly half of all deportations. “All states with major economic hubs are identifying such illegal immigrants after document verification. The instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs are clear — the states are complying,” the official said, noting that the crackdown accelerated after the April Pahalgam attacks.

But the scale and method of these deportations suggest clear departures from legal norms. Under Indian law and international obligations, deportation must follow due process — including formal orders, access to legal aid, and verification by Foreigners Tribunals or equivalent mechanisms. None of this appears to be happening in these pushbacks.

The BSF, according to reports in The Hindu, has pushed back over 1,200 people from just one sector of the West Bengal-Bangladesh border. Delhi Police alone has deported at least 120 people since January, followed by Maharashtra (110), Haryana (80), Rajasthan (70), Uttar Pradesh (65), Gujarat (65), and Goa (10). Many of these individuals were transported in secrecy and denied access to legal representation.

Several were reportedly handed some Bangladeshi currency and food before being left at the border, a practice that not only flouts legal protections for non-citizens but also risks statelessness and chain deportations. Alarmingly, a significant number of people, fearing arrest, are voluntarily approaching border regions in panic, indicating the deep fear triggered by the nationwide campaign.

These coordinated actions across states, in the absence of transparent procedures, point to a disturbing trend: a pan-India, informal deportation regime operating outside the bounds of the law, with little accountability or oversight.

1. Uttar Pradesh: 90 alleged Bangladeshi Nationals detained from Mathura kilns amid state-wide deportation drive

On May 17, police in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district detained 90 individuals—suspected Bangladeshi nationals—including 35 men, 27 women, and 28 children, from Khajpur village under the Nauhjheel police station. The detentions were part of an identity verification drive targeting migrant labourers working in the area’s brick kilns.

According to Mathura SSP Shlok Kumar, the detainees claimed they had been living in Mathura for the past 3–4 months and had migrated there from a neighbouring state. “All of them are being interrogated, and other investigative agencies have also been roped in,” he told ANI, suggesting that legal proceedings may follow. However, no clarity has been provided on whether these individuals were produced before a magistrate or allowed access to legal aid, raising due process concerns.

The detentions align with a larger, intensified campaign launched by the Uttar Pradesh government to identify and deport what it calls “infiltrators” — targeting primarily Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities residing in the state. Officials have also indicated that action had earlier been taken against Pakistani nationals, and similar efforts are now directed at undocumented Bangladeshi and Rohingya residents.

According to the report of Indian Express, state-wide directive from the Chief Minister’s Office has instructed all District Magistrates, SSPs, and Police Commissioners to accelerate the identification and removal of undocumented migrants, particularly in areas where many are believed to be living under changed or forged identities. Simultaneously, authorities have begun operations against so-called illegal settlements and unauthorised structures, especially in districts bordering Nepal.

The Uttar Pradesh government has publicly claimed to be the first in the country to achieve the deportation of all undocumented Pakistani nationals. “The Chief Minister himself oversees the process,” said a CMO statement, as per the ANI report.

While the state presents this as a national security achievement, rights advocates warn that such sweeping actions, especially those involving families with children, may sidestep critical legal safeguards, including the right to a fair hearing, protections under the Foreigners Act, and India’s obligations under international human rights law.

Uttar Pradesh’s operation is just one piece in a growing national trend that appears to be functioning as a shadow deportation regime, with opaque procedures, little to no judicial oversight, and significant risk of wrongful or arbitrary expulsions.

2. Delhi: 700 alleged undocumented migrants deported under ‘pushback’ drive

In the last six months, nearly 700 undocumented migrants have been deported from Delhi to Bangladesh as part of the Union government’s intensified “pushback” strategy, according to a report by The Indian Express. The pace of deportations notably accelerated in the wake of the April Pahalgam terror attack, triggering a capital-wide verification and detention campaign.

Following the attack, the Delhi Police launched a coordinated drive and identified around 470 individuals as undocumented Bangladeshi nationals, along with 50 foreigners who had overstayed their visas, The Indian Express reported. These individuals were then flown from the Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad to Agartala in Tripura, from where they were deported via land routes across the Bangladesh border.

Police sources revealed that 3–4 special flights were used over the past month for transporting the detainees. According to The Indian Express, Delhi Police also set up around five makeshift detention centres, coordinated with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), and arranged the transfers with the Border Security Force (BSF).

On May 16, thirteen Bangladeshi nationals, including five minors, were detained in Auchandi village in outer Delhi for allegedly living without valid documents, according to an ANI report. They were apprehended during a targeted operation following intelligence inputs, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam. On interrogation, the detainees reportedly admitted to being Bangladeshi citizens without any legal documentation permitting them to stay in India.

A week later, on May 23, the Delhi Police detained 121 Bangladeshi nationals suspected of unlawful residence in the capital and initiated deportation proceedings through the FRRO, according to The Hindu. In the same operation, five Indian nationals were questioned for allegedly facilitating the illegal entry and stay of these foreign nationals. A case was registered at Narela Industrial Area police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 14 and 14C of the Foreigners Act, 1946.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe a suspected syndicate that is believed to have assisted in providing accommodation, jobs, and forged Indian identity documents to the immigrants. Authorities are now examining suspected fabrication of Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and electricity meter connections, and have issued notices to relevant departments. Legal action has been promised against any official found complicit.

These developments mark a sharp escalation in Delhi’s deportation efforts and reflect the broader national push under Operation Sindoor to track, detain, and remove undocumented migrants, often through processes lacking judicial oversight.

3. Delhi-Ghaziabad: Mass deportations continue as government allegedly sidesteps due process

On Sunday, May 25, around 160 undocumented Bangladeshi migrants, including women and children detained from outer Delhi, were airlifted from Ghaziabad’s Hindon Air Base to Agartala in Tripura to be deported to Bangladesh, according to a report by The Hindu.

Officials told the newspaper that the transfer was in line with the Indian government’s directive to expedite deportations without waiting for formal processes, which are often “lengthy.” This reflects a growing trend of informal and accelerated removals, especially following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Since the attack, more than 500 individuals have reportedly been sent back through India’s eastern border. Across the country, police forces have been conducting verification drives to identify alleged undocumented immigrants. Once detained, the migrants’ biometrics are recorded, and any Indian identity documents, such as Aadhaar cards, are cancelled. These biometrics are reportedly used to prevent re-entry and re-enrolment in Indian systems.

After biometric capture, the migrants are handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) and pushed back across the border. The Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a letter sent on May 8, raised concerns over these forced entries and called on India to respect formal repatriation mechanisms.

Earlier, on May 4, two Air India planes transported around 300 undocumented migrants, including 200 women and children who had been detained in Gujarat, to Agartala. They were subsequently sent across the border to Bangladesh.

At a press conference on May 26 in Dhaka, Brigadier General Md. Nazim-ud-Daula of the Bangladesh Army condemned these deportations as unacceptable “push-ins.”

In just one month since the Pahalgam incident, Delhi Police identified and deported 470 undocumented Bangladeshi nationals and 50 foreign overstayers, flying them from Hindon to Tripura before pushing them across the land border.

An officer from Delhi Police told The Hindu that the Ministry of Home Affairs had instructed city police as early as late 2024 to begin verification drives targeting Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants. Between November 15, 2024, and April 20, 2025, about 220 undocumented migrants and 30 overstayers were identified, taken by train and road to eastern states, and deported via land borders through the FRRO.

However, after the Pahalgam attack, the process intensified. “Over the last one month, around 3–4 special flights went from Hindon air base to Agartala,” a senior officer said. In total, about 700 individuals have been deported from Delhi over the past six months, he added.

Initially, Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) from all 15 districts were tasked with identifying undocumented Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants. A first battalion of Delhi Police, along with FRRO officials, would accompany detainees via rail and road to West Bengal, from where the BSF completed the deportation process, according to a government source cited by The Hindu.

4. Gujarat: Over 1,000 detained in state’s largest crackdown, hundreds airlifted and pushed back across border

On April 26, Gujarat Police executed what officials described as the state’s largest-ever operation targeting undocumented migrants, detaining 1,024 suspected Bangladeshi nationals, 890 in Ahmedabad and 134 in Surat, amid allegations of fake documents and criminal activity, as per Deccan Herald. The state Home Minister hailed the operation as a “historic victory,” warning that those harbouring such individuals would face strict action, and confirming plans to swiftly deport the detainees, as per the report of Hindustan Times.

Just over a week later, on May 4, two Air India flights carried some 300 of the detained migrants, including around 200 women and children, to Agartala in Tripura. From there, they were “pushed back” across the land border into Bangladesh, bypassing lengthy legal deportation procedures, as per the HT report.

These actions followed a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs after the Pahalgam terror attack, streamlining mass deportations with rapid airlifts and border pushbacks, according to Times of India report. Authorities have flagged concerns about detainees’ alleged links to drug and human trafficking ring, and even extremist sleeper cells, as justification for the sweeping operation, as per the New Indian Express.

The Gujarat operation, which involved specialized units from Ahmedabad Crime Branch, SOG, EOW, and local police divisions, also uncovered widespread use of forged IDs sourced from West Bengal, a network that is now under investigation as per the Indian Express report.

These developments underscore a troubling trend: a coordinated and expedient deportation campaign that circumvents due process, with authorities opting for air-bridge removals and cross-border pushbacks in lieu of formal court procedures.

5. Rajasthan: 1,000 marked for deportation as Indian migrant workers from Bengal detained for “Speaking Bengali”

On May 14, 2025, Rajasthan’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel announced that around 1,000 suspected Bangladeshi nationals had been identified across the state. Speaking in Jaipur, he confirmed that the first group of 148 detainees had been moved to Jodhpur and then flown to Kolkata, from where they would be deported to Bangladesh. According to The Hindu, most of these individuals were originally detained in Sikar district, and the Village Development Officers’ Training Centre in Jodhpur had been temporarily converted into a holding facility for the deportation process.

As per the report, Patel further stated that the state would continue similar operations in the coming days to facilitate further removals.

However, the state’s aggressive crackdown also resulted in wrongful detentions. On May 13, Rajasthan Police released 13 migrant workers, including children and two families from Cooch Behar, West Bengal, who had been held for nine days on suspicion of being Bangladeshi infiltrators, solely because they spoke Bengali. The group had been picked up by personnel from the Patan Police Station in Sikar district, and were detained in a guest house under police watch, despite being Indian citizens.

According to The Telegraph, their release came only after sustained communication from West Bengal government officials, who intervened when alerted by concerned families and local leaders. Samirul Islam, a TMC Rajya Sabha MP and head of the Bengal government’s migrant worker welfare board, confirmed that state officials had been in touch with their counterparts in Rajasthan to secure the workers’ release. A senior Cooch Behar official reportedly called Rajasthan Police directly, following which the detainees were let go.

Obaydul Khandakar, a resident of Purba Jaigir Balabari village in Cooch Behar’s Dinhata-II block, who had been detained along with his wife Beauty Bibi, told the newspaper: “Despite being Indian citizens, we were detained for nine days just because we spoke Bengali.” The families had been working at a brick kiln near Sikar and returned there after their release. Khandakar said he planned to settle his dues and was now uncertain about returning to Rajasthan for work, shaken by the experience.

6. Tripura: Over 2,800 arrested for illegal entry since 2022 amid ongoing crackdown

On June 9, the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Tripura arrested one Bangladeshi national and one Indian tout during separate operations at Agartala railway station, according to a report by EastMojo. In the first incident, Pranajit Ray (35), a resident of Sylhet district in Bangladesh, was intercepted during a joint operation conducted by the GRP, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and other agencies. Police said he had illegally crossed the border and was planning to travel to Kolkata. “We seized some documents and Indian currency. We are examining these,” an officer told the outlet.

In a separate case, an Indian trafficker from Chanipur in West Tripura district was also arrested as part of a similar joint operation.

The arrests come amid a growing number of detentions in the state. Between January 1 and February 28, 2024, a total of 816 Bangladeshi nationals, 79 Rohingya, and two Nigerians were arrested in Tripura, according to the Tripura Police’s own data cited by EastMojo.

Additionally, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, recently informed the Assembly that 2,815 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested for illegally entering Tripura between 2022 and October 31, 2024. Out of these, 1,746 were “pushed back” across the border, while 1,069 remained either in jail, temporary detention centres, shelter homes, or out on bail, as per a report by The Indian Express.

7. Maharashtra: Four alleged Bangladeshi nationals held in Pune following military intelligence tip-off

In Maharashtra, four suspected Bangladeshi nationals were detained from a labour camp in Pune’s Khondwa area on June 13 in a joint operation conducted by the police and Military Intelligence, according to a report by The Hindu. The arrests were made following a tip-off from the Southern Command of Military Intelligence, which led authorities to intercept the individuals as they were allegedly attempting to flee the area.

Upon preliminary verification, the four men were identified as Swapan Mandal, Mithun Kumar, Ranodhir Mandal, and Dilip Mondal, and were found to be citizens of Bangladesh. Defence sources cited in the report confirmed that the individuals will undergo joint interrogation by multiple agencies.

8. West Bengal: Seven alleged Bangladeshi nationals caught trying to return home after years in India

On Saturday, seven alleged Bangladeshi nationals, including three women, were apprehended by police in Nadia district of West Bengal while attempting to cross back into Bangladesh after reportedly spending four years working in various Indian cities, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

“These individuals had entered India illegally through the North 24 Parganas border around four years ago and have since worked in Mumbai, Delhi, and several cities in Gujarat,” said Somnath Jha, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Border), Ranaghat Divisionm as per the HT report. They were caught in the Hanskhali police station area, the same location where another Bangladeshi woman was arrested earlier last week. She had reportedly entered India in 2024 and also worked in Mumbai.

The arrested individuals are said to be from Khulna, Jessore, Cox’s Bazar, and Kushtia districts in Bangladesh. According to officials, the group was attempting to return to Bangladesh with the help of an agent who is currently absconding.

With these arrests, the total number of alleged Bangladeshi nationals detained in various districts of West Bengal since December 2023 has reached approximately 100, as per police estimates. The Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies have stepped up surveillance along the Indo-Bangladesh border since 2024 in response to the ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh.

State Pushback: When governments step in to stop unlawful deportations

While the Union government’s crackdown on undocumented migrants has unfolded across states with unprecedented coordination and speed, a few state governments have pushed back, not against migrants, but against what they allege are unlawful deportations of Indian citizens. In rare but telling instances, state authorities have intervened to halt or reverse deportations, particularly where those detained turned out to be bona fide Indian nationals. Most notably, the West Bengal government has led efforts to trace, verify, and bring back its residents who were mistakenly or illegally pushed into Bangladesh, raising urgent questions about due process, documentation, and the risks of communal or linguistic profiling in the ongoing campaign.

1. West Bengal Government brings back seven men wrongly deported to Bangladesh

In a striking instance of state-level intervention against what is being called unlawful deportation, the West Bengal government has successfully facilitated the return of at least seven Indian citizens who were allegedly picked up by Maharashtra Police during anti-immigration drives and pushed across the Bangladesh border, despite holding valid Indian documents.

The men, most of whom are residents of Murshidabad district, were working as daily wage labourers or masons in Mumbai and Thane. They were detained between June 9 and 11, and within days, without due legal process, transported across the border and abandoned in Bangladesh, according to The Indian Express.

One of the deportees, 36-year-old Mehbub Sheikh, who worked as a mason in Thane, was detained on June 11 and pushed into Bangladesh from a BSF camp in Siliguri by the early hours of June 14, despite his family and local police submitting documentation, including Aadhaar, voter ID, and land records, to prove his Indian citizenship. Another youth, Shamim Khan, also from Murshidabad, was picked up around the same time and met the same fate.

Following urgent appeals from families and local authorities, the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board, under instructions from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, intervened. The Board’s chairman and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam told The Indian Express that the state government had taken the matter up directly with the Union government and the BSF. “Our government coordinated with central agencies and ensured five individuals were brought back by Sunday, and two more by Monday. We are continuing efforts to identify if others from Bengal have also been wrongfully deported,” he said.

According to a statement by Murshidabad SP Kumar Sunny Raj, upon receiving alerts from families, district police initiated local verification and coordinated with the BSF. Once the individuals’ Indian nationality was confirmed through supporting documents, the BSF held a flag meeting with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and repatriated the youths. “They were handed over to Raiganj police station by the BSF and will be taken back to their respective villages,” added SP Md Sana Akhtar of Uttar Dinajpur as per the report.

The deported men include Mehbub Sheikh (Bhagwangola), Shamim Khan (Hariharpara), Minarul Sheikh (Beldanga), Nazimuddin Mondal (Hariharpara), and Mostafa Kamal Sheikh (Monteswar, Purba Bardhaman). Additionally, Fazer Sheikh and his wife Taslima from Bagda in North 24 Parganas were also returned. All were among the over 130 people transported by BSF aircraft from Pune to Agartala, and then dropped off at the border with minimal belongings, a packet of food, and 300 Bangladeshi Taka, according to multiple returnees.

Speaking to The Hindu, Nazimuddin Mondal, 34, recalled: “We were herded like cattle. At 3 am, the BSF jawans drove us toward the border, told us not to return. We walked into complete darkness.” After being chased away by Bangladeshi locals and beaten by BGB personnel, the group wandered for hours in paddy fields with mud up to their knees, before the BSF called them back the following evening and took them to Kokrajhar.

Nazimuddin’s brother Musarraf Mondal said the family had frantically submitted documentation to both local police in Murshidabad and the authorities in Mumbai, but were ignored. “Only after my brother managed to call from Bangladesh did, we know what had happened,” he said.

According to Samirul Islam, this is not an isolated event. “There is growing concern that Bengali-speaking Indian citizens, especially migrant workers, are being wrongly profiled and deported in BJP-ruled states like Maharashtra,” he told The Telegraph. “This is illegal, and our Chief Minister has written to the Centre about this.”

The return of these individuals was made possible through urgent coordination between state police, BSF, and BGB, as confirmed by Mekhliganj Police Station OC Mani Bhusan Sarkar, who received prior alerts from Murshidabad and Bardhaman police about missing residents. After verifying identities, a flag meeting at the Mekhliganj border enabled their return on Sunday afternoon.

As The Hindu reports, these cases come amid a wider trend of the Indian government “pushing back” undocumented migrants across the Bangladesh border, especially following Operation Sindoor, launched in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in April. The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has officially raised objections, stating such pushbacks violate diplomatic protocols.

For the seven men from Bengal, the ordeal has left lasting scars. “We were taken from one police station to another in Mumbai. We had no phones, no belongings. No one listened to us,” said Nazimuddin, still shaken after returning to his village in Taratipur, Murshidabad. “Only the state government listened.”

Here is a detailed and paraphrased version of the UP detention and Bengal police intervention story, rewritten with improved flow and source attribution:

2. West Bengal police intervene to secure release of six detainees from UP, wrongly suspected as Bangladeshis

In yet another instance that underscores growing concerns around the profiling of Bengali-speaking migrant workers, six residents of West Bengal, including two drivers, were detained by the Uttar Pradesh Police on May 5 in Deoria district, allegedly on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals. The detainees, five from Beldanga in Murshidabad and one from Krishnaganj in Nadia, were travelling by bus when they were stopped and taken to Lar police station, according to a report in The Telegraph.

The situation was resolved only after swift intervention by Murshidabad Superintendent of Police Kumar Sunny Raj, who contacted senior UP officials and facilitated the release of the group. A police officer in Bengal, speaking to the media, confirmed that local authorities had been alerted to the detentions around noon. “As soon as we were informed, our SP reached out to his counterparts in Uttar Pradesh. The issue was resolved the same day,” the officer stated.

Family members of the detainees said they were advised to keep their local police stations informed while travelling outside the state, especially in light of recent incidents of wrongful detention. “We had notified the Beldanga Inspector-in-Charge as a precaution. The prompt response of our local police ensured the group was not subjected to further harassment,” said Din Muhammad, a relative of one of the men, while speaking to The Telegraph.

Samirul Islam, Trinamool MP and chairman of the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board, condemned the incident, calling it part of a worrying trend of systemic suspicion and profiling of Bengali-speaking Indians in BJP-ruled states. “This has to stop. Speaking Bengali does not make someone a Bangladeshi,” Islam said. He further noted that despite the six men producing valid photo ID cards, they were still detained, an act he described as “deeply discriminatory.” He added that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had already written to the Centre raising concern about the growing frequency of such incidents.

Police confirmed that the group was released by the evening of May 5 and arrangements were made for them to return to their homes in Bengal the following day. (Detailed report may be read here.)

When the Courts Intervene: Stays and interim protection

Amid a wave of detentions and swift deportations, many allegedly carried out without due process, constitutional courts across India have intervened to halt or question such actions. In several instances, the Supreme Court and High Courts have granted interim protection or stay orders, preventing the deportation of individuals flagged as “illegal migrants” or declared foreigners under the Foreigners Act. These judicial interventions have not only delayed state action but have, in some cases, forced authorities to re-examine the legality and fairness of their deportation processes.

1. Supreme Court grants interim protection to woman declared ‘foreigner’ amid concerns over opaque deportation processes in Assam

Amid growing judicial scrutiny of arbitrary deportation practices in Assam, the Supreme Court on June 24, 2025, granted interim protection from deportation to Jaynab Bibi, a woman declared a foreigner by a Foreigners Tribunal under Section 2(a) of the Foreigners Act, 1946. The Tribunal’s two-page 2017 order had summarily dismissed her extensive documentary evidence, including the 1951 NRC, multiple electoral rolls, land records, and local certificates, on grounds of minor inconsistencies in names and testimonies. The Gauhati High Court upheld this finding in February 2025 and revoked her interim protection, but the Supreme Court has now stayed all coercive steps against her, including deportation, while issuing notice in her special leave petition. The case is next listed for August 25.

Represented by Advocates Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi and Akanksha Rai, Jaynab’s petition relies heavily on the Supreme Court’s own observations in Mohd. Rahim Ali v. State of Assam (July 2024), where the Court cautioned against opaque and suspicion-based declarations under the Foreigners Act. Jaynab, who claims Indian citizenship by birth and residence in Nagaon district, contends that her identity was rejected without due process. The Court’s intervention, though interim, sends a strong signal against mechanical adjudications and underscores the central role of constitutional safeguards in proceedings that could result in loss of nationality and expulsion. (Detailed report may be read here.)

2. Bombay High Court grants bail over custodial rights violation

In a significant judicial intervention affirming procedural safeguards even in cases involving alleged undocumented immigrants, the Bombay High Court on May 7, 2025, granted bail to 34-year-old Sabnam Suleman Ansari, accused of entering India illegally, after finding that she was produced before a magistrate well beyond the constitutionally permitted 24-hour window following her arrest. Justice Milind Jadhav, while granting her bail on a surety of ₹5,000, observed that Ansari was arrested on January 28 at 12:30 PM and produced only on January 29 at 4:30 PM. The delay, the judge ruled, constituted a prima facie breach of her fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution. According to the order, “It is the duty of the Bail Court to step in,” when such violations are apparent.

The prosecution alleged Ansari had entered India through an unauthorised route from Bangladesh and lacked valid travel documents. However, Justice Jadhav rejected the State’s reliance on an earlier division bench ruling in Karan Ratan Rokade v. State of Maharashtra, distinguishing the facts and affirming the Supreme Court’s position in Vihaan Kumar v. State of Haryana, which emphasized the judiciary’s obligation to grant bail in cases of illegal detention. The Court also noted the indifference of police authorities toward elementary but statutory safeguards under Section 50 of the CrPC and Section 58 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, underscoring that constitutional protections remain non-negotiable, even in immigration-related prosecutions.

3. Bombay High Court intervenes in detention of Indian teen following father’s deportation

In another crucial instance of judicial scrutiny over policing under the Foreigners Act, the Bombay High Court on June 3, 2025, ordered the immediate release of 18-year-old Ruksar Dadamiya Khan, who had been detained by Mumbai’s Mankhurd police following her father’s deportation to Bangladesh on allegations of illegal migration. Despite being born in India and possessing valid Indian documents, Ruksar was held in custody without any independent proceedings initiated against her. A vacation bench comprising Justices Dr. Neela Gokhale and Firdosh P. Pooniwalla passed the order while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Ruksar and her two younger siblings, aged 16 and 8, seeking protection from coercive state action and possible deportation.

According to the petition, while the younger siblings were released to their mother soon after it was filed, Ruksar remained confined at the Nirbhaya Cell in Mankhurd, prompting the Court’s urgent intervention. The bench observed that her continued detention was unwarranted and violative of Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees personal liberty, especially when she was not the subject of any conclusive or independent inquiry under the Foreigners Act, 1946. The ruling serves as a reminder that procedural fairness cannot be dispensed with, particularly in cases involving minors or Indian-born individuals whose rights risk being subsumed by broad and indiscriminate enforcement drives.

4. Gauhati High Court orders immediate release of bail-compliant man detained as ‘Foreigner’

In a forceful assertion of constitutional liberty, the Gauhati High Court on June 16, 2025, ordered the immediate release of Hachinur @ Hasinur, a resident of Goalpara, who had been unlawfully detained by the Assam Border Police despite being out on High Court–granted bail since 2021. The Court declared his detention “expressly illegal,” noting that no bail cancellation had been obtained and the Foreigners Tribunal’s declaration against him remained sub judice. Rejecting the State’s plea for adjournment due to lack of instructions, the bench of Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Malasri Nandi stated, “Illegal detention cannot be allowed even for a minute,” and reminded the State that liberty cannot wait for bureaucratic coordination. The order came in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by the detainee’s mother, Mozida Begum, which documented the detainee’s weekly police reporting and absence of any new judicial order justifying re-arrest.

The Court had earlier stayed any deportation and verified that Hachinur was held at the Kokrajhar Holding Centre. His arrest on May 25, 2025, triggered widespread concern, especially as he had regularly reported to Goalpara Police Station per the conditions of his 2021 bail, granted under the Supreme Court’s COVID-19 guidelines. During the hearing, Advocate A.R. Sikdar emphasised that no fresh legal proceedings had been initiated, and the arrest was both unconstitutional and unjustified. The Court agreed, holding that the State should have sought a judicial order if it believed fresh grounds existed. “Once there is bail, if they do not give you instructions, it is their lookout,” Justice Surana said. With that, the Court directed immediate release, reinforcing that executive action cannot override existing judicial protections or suspend liberty at will. (Detailed report may be read here.)

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“Bail once granted can’t be ignored”: Gauhati HC seeks legal basis for re-detentions of COVID-era released detainees

The post Deported in Silence: India’s mass expulsions of alleged Bangladeshis without due process appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A humanitarian tragedy in the name of deportation

In a horrifying display of inhumanity, 104 Indian migrants were deported from the United States on a military aircraft with their hands and legs shackled throughout the 40-hour-long journey back to India.

The manner in which these individuals were treated, forced to remain in restraints even while eating has sparked widespread outrage, not just in India but across the global human rights community. The visuals of these migrants, including women, being led in chains onto a U.S. military aircraft highlight the sheer disregard for basic human dignity.

These deportations were carried out as part of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The U.S. Border Patrol Chief even shared a video on social media boasting about the successful deportation of illegal aliens, a move that further inflamed tensions in India.

USBP and partners successfully returned illegal aliens to India, marking the farthest deportation flight yet using military transport. This mission underscores our commitment to enforcing immigration laws and ensuring swift removals.

If you cross illegally, you will be removed. pic.twitter.com/WW4OWYzWOf

— Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) February 5, 2025

While deportations are a sovereign right of any nation, their execution must comply with humanitarian standards. The blatant criminalisation of these migrants, who left India in search of a better future, reflects a dangerous trend of treating economic migrants as hardened criminals.

India’s legal recourse under international law and human rights violations

The forced deportation of Indian migrants under inhumane conditions raises serious concerns under international human rights law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), particularly Article 5, explicitly prohibits “torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.” The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by both India and the U.S., similarly prohibits such treatment under Article 7. The shackling of Indian deportees throughout their journey amounts to cruel and degrading treatment, which is in direct violation of these international norms (UDHR, ICCPR).

Additionally, the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), though not ratified by the U.S., establishes that no individual should be subjected to inhumane or degrading treatment, including during deportation. The treatment of Indian deportees also violates the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which prohibits arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, and inhumane deportation procedures.

Legal experts have pointed out that India has the right to lodge a complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Committee over the manner in which its citizens were deported. International law allows a country to challenge the mistreatment of its nationals abroad, and given the clear violation of human rights in this case, India could formally seek redress through the UN system. However, the Modi government has taken no such action, further underscoring its failure to defend Indian citizens against inhumane treatment by foreign nations.

Colombia’s bold stand vs. India’s silence

If there was ever a moment that underscored the Modi government’s diplomatic weakness, it is this. Colombia, a much smaller country in terms of geopolitical influence, demonstrated how a nation should stand up for its citizens.

When the United States attempted to deport Colombian nationals under similar conditions, the South American nation took a firm stand: it refused to accept U.S. military flights carrying deportees.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro strongly condemned the treatment of his citizens and ensured their dignified return by dispatching a presidential plane to pick them up. In doing so, Colombia made it clear that it would not allow its nationals to be treated as criminals.

Contrast this with India, where Modi’s government has not even raised a strong diplomatic objection. While the Colombian government exerted its sovereignty and protected its people, India remained passive, allowing the United States to transport its nationals in degrading conditions (Economic Times).

Opposition’s criticism of Modi’s failure

As soon as the images of the shackled deportees surfaced, opposition parties in India staged dramatic protests. Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, appeared in Parliament wearing handcuffs to symbolize the shame and humiliation India suffered due to Modi’s inaction. Shashi Tharoor, a vocal critic of the government, stated that while India must accept its nationals back, it should never tolerate such degrading treatment by a foreign nation. Other opposition leaders, including Asaduddin Owaisi and Akhilesh Yadav, slammed the government for its failure to ensure dignified deportation.

“For 40 hours, we were handcuffed, our feet tied with chains and we were not allowed to move an inch from our seats. It was worse than hell”: Harvinder Singh

Prime Minister, listen to this man’s pain. Indians deserve Dignity and Humanity, NOT Handcuffs. pic.twitter.com/WUOwUrCvMB

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 6, 2025

Dr. Subramanian Swamy, former law minister also condemned Modi’s handling of the situation. Swamy pointed out that Modi’s foreign policy is more focused on personal optics and friendships with Western leaders than on protecting the dignity of Indian citizens abroad. He further stated that the government’s failure to act decisively will only embolden other nations to treat Indians with similar disregard.

Dr. Swamy tweeted: “Will Trump answer? Modi has no guts to demand an answer on the way they were sent back to India—like goats. Trump could have asked our Embassy in Washington to take back illegal Indian immigrants. Modi is a coward. He cannot even stand up to Maldives and Nepal, let alone China.”

In another tweet, he said: “The US govt led by Trump has been serially insulting India. Yet Modi is craving to go to the US and crawl before Trump. I demand Modi postpone his visit to the US in protest of the insults, otherwise Parliament should censure him for going against our nation’s interest.”

A ‘Vishwaguru’ that fails its own people

The Modi government has frequently claimed that India is a rising global power, a Vishwaguru that commands respect internationally. However, this incident proves otherwise. When a leader fails to ensure the basic dignity of their own citizens, all claims of global leadership ring hollow.

While Colombia and Brazil rejected inhumane deportation flights, India has remained silent and submissive. Modi’s government did not even issue a strong diplomatic protest, let alone demand an apology or a policy change from the U.S.

If Colombia, a nation with significantly fewer resources and influence than India, can ensure respect for its citizens, why can’t Modi? The answer is clear: under this government, nationalism is only a political slogan, not a principle applied in real-world diplomacy.

As deported Indians return home in chains, the question that haunts every citizen is this: Is this the global leadership Modi promised?

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During the hearing on April 7, the Division bench of Justices Shivaji Pandey and Partha Sarthy of the Patna High Court asked the Centre to apprise the court of what measures are taken when the native country is not ready to take back illegal migrants. When the amicus curiae informed the bench that illegal migrants are supposed to be kept in detention centres, the court directed the state government to file an affidavit on whether any such detention centre has been created by the state government for illegal migrants.

Background

Two Bangladeshi migrants Marium Khatoon @ Mariyam Parveen and Ms. Mausmi Khatoon, were arrested from Patna Railway station a few years ago and have been kept in an After Care Home, without any criminal case being lodged against them.

The court was informed by Additional Solicitor General of India, Dr. KN Singh that a letter had been sent to the Bangladeshi Embassy for their repatriation, but no response was received. While the counsel for the State submitted to the court that the petitioners were being kept in After Care Home called Nari Niketan in proper manner and there is no such complaint that they are being kept in very bad manner, the counsel for the petitioners pointed out that he was not allowed to take Power (power of attorney) from the petitioner. Thus, the court found it necessary to ensure that the petitioners are treated in a good manner and constituted a team of three Advocates; one male Advocate and two female Advocates, to know about the fact that in what manner they are being kept in After Care Home.

The court directed them to visit the Home on April 10 and directed that during such interaction with the petitioners, there will be no intervention from any official or any person. The court emphasized that any intervention would be taken seriously and the court will issue contempt against any such person.

The amicus curiae, Ashish Giri, submitted to the court that such illegal migrants cannot be kept in the After Care Home for a longer but, they should be shifted in Holding Centre or Detention Centre. The court then directed the state government to inform whether any such detention centre has been set up to deal with illegal migrants found in Bihar. The court had also sought response from the Central government on the status of their communication with Bangladeshi Embassy for repatriation of the petitioners and also sought response on how illegal migrants are to be dealt with if the native country is not ready to accept them back.

The April 7 order may be read here:

During the hearing held on April 26, the committee of the three lawyers submitted their report, in which it was mentioned that the migrants did not raise any grievance of bad treatment and are being provided with basic right to food, cloth and shelter as well as medical assistance. The report also stated that with the exception of Marium Khatoon, the rest of them want to return to their homeland after proper assistance and approval from the government. Khatoon wishes to be rehabilitated in India itself.

About detention centres in the state, the government in its affidavit stated that in jail premises itself the migrants have been kept separately, so that should be treated as a Detention Centre and also an effort is being made to create a Detention Centre inside Beur Jail.

The court, dissatisfied with this response, said, “Detention Centre cannot be created inside the jail premises, rather it should be created in terms of the instruction given by the Central Government giving detail the manner the State has to create Detention Centre, so it is primary duty to create Detention Centre with that terms.” The court then sought a more detailed response from the state on this matter.

It is pertinent to note here that all the 6 detention camps in Assam which house ‘declared foreigners’ operate out of makeshift facilities in local prisons and function as per provisions laid down in the Assam jail manual. These are located in Goalpara, Tezpur, Kokrajhar, Dibrugarh, Silchar and Jorhat.

When the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) failed to respond to the court’s query, the court warned that if a proper affidavit is not filed, contempt will be issued against the concerned official.

While concluding the order, the court observed, “As it is a very serious matter that three Bangladeshi girls entered into India and they are being kept in Nari Niketan, not in Detention Centre. As the Government of Bihar has failed to create Detention Centre.”

Therefore the court ordered, “A detailed affidavit should be filed by the Union of India especially by the State of Bihar with respect to creation of Detention Centre for foreign national.”

The April 26 order may be read here:

It is pertinent to note here that in January 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued “Model Detention Centre/ Holding Centre Manual” to all state governments and Union Territories for implementation and compliance. While the document has not been made public, the responses provided to the questions asked during Parliament sessions give insight into what this document entails.

On July 16, 2019, in response to questions raised by TN Prathapan, the MHA elaborated on the provisions of the ‘Model’ detention center manual saying, “The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a ‘Model Detention Centre/Holding Centre/Camp Manual’ for implementation and compliance. The Model Detention Centre Manual, inter-alia, prescribes the amenities to be provided in the Detention Centres to maintain standards of living in consonance with human dignity including electricity with generator, drinking water, hygiene, accommodation with beds, sufficient toilets/baths with provisions of running water, communication and medical facilities, provisions for kitchen and recreational facilities.” 

In another response on July 24, 2019 the MHA additionally stated that the manual “also provides for provision of properly segregated accommodation for male and female detainees, deployment of adequate lady security staff commensurate with the requirement of women detainees, special attention to the women/ nursing mother etc. It has also been provided that members of the same family should not be separated and all family members may be housed in the same detention centre.”

Related:

So, what exactly is a ‘model’ detention camp?
Where hope fades and time stands still: Assam’s Detention Camps
Patna HC asks gov’t how to deal with illegal migrants if not deported

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The Karnataka High Court once again pulled up Bengaluru Police, this time for demolishing makeshift homes at Marathhalli subdivision in Bellandur in January 2020. Last time the court had reprimanded the police and the government when prominent personalities like Ramchandra Guha were detained by the police for holding a peaceful protest.

While the court asked the police to state evidence basis which the conclusion was drawn that the inhabitants of the makeshift homes were Bangladeshi nationals, Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka asked the police, “By looking at the face of a person, can one be identified as being a Bangladeshi national?”.

Several people were rendered homeless as the police demolished the makeshift homes after evicting the residents, in a demolition drive on January 12, 18 and 19. A plea was hence filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties challenging these demolitions. The petition claimed that many residents in the migrant settlement were from Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has stated that the demolition was unauthorized while it acted upon the police direction.

The Court, on February 10, has hence directed that the inhabitants of the homes be rehabilitated and has directed the government to submit a comprehensive rehabilitation scheme to that regard.

The counsel for Karnataka state government submitted that the Marathahalli station police inspector B P Girish has been suspended for providing false information that led to the incident (demolition). The residents of the sheds have been identified as migrants from Assam and Telangana.” Hence, this incident has brough to light the misinformation being spread by Bengaluru police time and again that there are many illegal Bangladeshis living in Karnataka.

The Bench comprising of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar also ordered the state to provide either monetary assistance or temporary accommodation to such persons as interim relief. The court further asked the state to also ascertain the people who were affected by this haphazard and unwarranted demolition drive and then proceed with rehabilitation.

The bench also held BBMP responsible for rendering the laborers homeless, for acting without proper instructions and authorization. The bench held that the fundamental rights of the laborers had been violated. “Along with the Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner, find out what arrangements can be made to rehabilitate them. Submit a detailed project report within a month,” the bench said, adjourning the case for further hearing on February 26.

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The post K’taka HC raps admin and police, asks govt to rehabilitate laborers touted as “Bangladeshis” appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Recently, much awaited migration data has been released by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. While demographers are presumably busy analysing the data, certain preliminary observations are noteworthy, especially in the context of Assam where strong allegation of large-scale illegal migration from Bangladesh has assumed greater significance post NRC.

While data on foreign migrants do not distinguish between a legal migrant and an illegal migrant, but such data is important indicator of the volume and pattern of overall international migration in India and more specifically in the state of Assam.

Census of India releases two types of migration data – Migration by Birth place and Migration by place of last residence. When a person is enumerated in Census at a place which is different from her/his place of birth, she/he would be considered a migrant by place of birth. On the other hand, a person would be considered a migrant by place of last residence, if she/he had last resided at a place other than her/his place of enumeration. Migrant by place of last residence is generally considered to be a better way to understand international migration.

Influx from Bangladesh and Pakistan

Referring to the Census data on foreign migrants on the basis of their last place of residence outside India and duration of stay in India, one may at first observe that the total international migrants has increased by 7%, from 51.55 lakhs in 2001 to 54.91 lakhs in 2011. However, there is surprising change in the source country wise data for foreign migrants. If we compare foreign migrants who arrived in India during the two succeeding decades (1991-2001 and 2001-2011) then we find number of Bangladeshi migrants’ flow to India has declined from 2.79 lakhs during 1991-2001 to 1.72 lakhs during 2001-2011. Which means there is 50% decline in migrants’ flow to India from Bangladesh between the last two decades.

Accordingly, there is sharp decline (25%) in the total number of Bangladeshi migrants in India, from 30.84 lakhs in 2001 to 23.04 lakhs in 2011. The proportion of Bangladeshi migrants in 2001 was about 60% of total international migrants in India, which has sharply reduced to 42% in 2011.

Similarly, number of Pakistani migrants has also declined from 9.97 lakhs in 2001 to 7.07 lakhs, that is a decline of about 29%. Pakistani migrants are second largest international migrants after Bangladeshi migrants.

Influx from Nepal

While flow of migrants has considerably reduced from Bangladesh and Pakistan, there is huge increase (30%) of migrants from neighbouring country Nepal. Number of migrants from Nepal has made a quantum jump from 5.96 lakhs in 2001 to 7.78 lakhs in 2011. Nepal still hold its 3rd position in terms of number of international migrants in India.

African and American migrants

However, the biggest surprise is that India seems to have become a preferred destination of American and African migrants. Number of American migrants in India has increased from a meagre 0.26 lakhs in 2001 to 4.00 lakhs in 2011 that is an increase by 1452%. Similarly, African migrants has also increased by a whopping 491%, from 0.64 lakhs in 2001 to 3.81 lakhs in 2011. As a result, combined proportion of American and African migrants, in overall foreign migrants’ population in India, has increased seven folds, from 2% in 2001 to 14% in 2011.

The case of Assam

In Assam, amidst widespread allegation of large-scale migration from Bangladesh, the census data on foreign migrants assumes special significance. The 2011 census data on foreign migrants reflects that out of 54.91 lakh foreign migrants in India, only 1.10 lakh foreign migrants are being censused in Assam, the largest number of foreign migrants being enumerated in West Bengal (20.05 lakhs) followed by Bihar (3.98 lakhs), Uttar Pradesh (3.55 lakhs) and Maharashtra (3.24 lakhs). In fact, as per 2011 Census reports, there are 12 states in India where number of foreign migrants is higher than Assam.

Again, out of the total 11.12 lakh foreign migrants who arrived in India during the decade 2001-2011, the major destination is West Bengal (1.83 lakhs). Only 0.11 lac foreign migrants came to Assam during the same decade (2001-2011). Also, there are 17 states, other than West Bengal, which saw arrival of higher number of foreign migrants than Assam during the decade 2001-2011 like Maharashtra (1.83 lakhs), Bihar (1.20 lakhs), Kerala (1.03 lakhs) etc.

In the context of Assam, again, the biggest concern is about Bangladeshi migrants who came to Assam during the decade 2001-2011. The Census data of 2011 reveals that out of a total of 1.72 lakh Bangladeshi migrants who arrived in India during 2001-2011, only 1,916 migrants from Bangladesh were enumerated in Assam. The major destination for Bangladeshi migrants still continued to be West Bengal. About 1.51 lakh Bangladeshi migrants, which constitutes 88% of the total migrants from Bangladesh, arrived in West Bengal during 2001-2011. It is worthwhile to mention here that successive census since 1971 shows that the number of Bangladeshi migrants who arrived in Assam during 1971-2001 is only 31,151. Another interesting revelation from the 2011 census data is that American migrants (2,618) who came to Assam during the decade 2001-2011 is about 37% higher than the Bangladeshi migrants who arrived in this state during the same period. Bangladeshi migrants constitute only 16.6% of the total international migrants (11,508) who came to Assam during the period 2001-2011.

If Census data is to be believed, then there is no indication of large scale migration in Assam, illegal or otherwise, from foreign countries, especially from Bangladesh, after 1971, and more particularly during the last census decade (2001-2011). Question is how long the allegation of large-scale migration from Bangladesh will continue in Assam.

On the other hand, there are stronger reasons to justify and believe that demographic change in Assam is predominantly due to very high socio-economic inequalities in areas of female literacy, fertility behavior of women (TFR), multi-dimensional poverty, adolescent marriage, spatial distribution of population (rural-urban). Unless such inequalities are addressed, through socio-economic development, the unequal population growth pattern and, therefore, the demographic change would continue unabated.

The post Large-scale Bangladeshi migration to Assam a myth? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 

The hunt for “Bangladeshi nationals” has now begun in Maharashtra. Karnataka already sent 59 undocumented immigrants to West Bengal to be deported by Border Security Force to Bangladesh. Reports also came in from cities like Agra, Delhi, Mathura that illegal immigrants have been booked.

On December 17 it was reported that the Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC) of Boisar in Palghar district arrested 12 Bangladeshi nationals, which includes 9 women, on a tip-off received by them. The ATC officials said that those arrested did not have any valid documents to prove their nationality.

One of the officials told Sabrang India that they acted upon information received and they found out that these people did not have any documents. When asked if they have a list of documents that can be considered as valid, he brushed off ID documents like Aadhaar Card and PAN card and said that these documents don’t prove anything. He further said that sometimes people make passport also on fake documents so we do not consider having passport as an absolute proof. He further said that documents like domicile of father or mother is a stronger proof.

When asked if such operations of nabbing illegal immigrants have bolstered due to the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) he responded that such operations are a regular exercise and acted upon whenever information is received and they have been making such arrests since many years now and it has nothing to do with CAA.

When questioned about how did the police determine that they were Bangladeshi nationals and not just some poor migrants from West Bengal without documents he said, “Their phones had contacts saved which were numbers of Bangladeshi people. They are their relatives they are constantly in touch with.” He indicated that the arrested people all spoke Bangla and belonged to the Muslim Community. But, then can’t Bengali Muslim’s be Indian? Also is it that uncommon or even illegal to have relatives across the border?

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Activists question Centre’s illegal 348-hour detention of ‘Bangladeshis’ picked from Karnataka
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59 ‘illegal immigrants’ from Bengaluru to be deported
What to do with ‘illegal immigrants’ after they serve their sentence?

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Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh has asked India to provide it with the list of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, living in India. The Minister assured India that his country will allow them to return as they have the right to enter into their own country. He also hoped that India would follow the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for sending illegal migrants back.

The Minister even confirmed that the relations between the two countries are normal and “very sweet” and that the same will not be affected.

He also said that some Indian nationals enter Bangladesh illegally due to economic reasons and said that, “if anybody other than our citizens enters Bangladesh, we will send them back”. He also stated that India has assured Bangladesh that the NRC process is an internal affair and will not affect Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister who was scheduled to visit India cancelled his visit citing reason that his visit clashed with “Vijay Diwas” or Victory Day in India, i.e. December 16. His visit was, however scheduled for December 12 to continue on until December 14. It was later claimed that the visit was cancelled as his junior minister and foreign secretary were both out of the country. He had called Amit Shah’s comments on persecution of minorities in Bangladesh as “untrue” and later said that Amit Shah’s comments were made in reference to when the country was under military rule.

The relations with Bangladesh have been blowing hot and cold. While Bangladesh has raised its concerns before the Indian government, Centre has seemingly managed to convince Dhaka that their relationship will not go sour due to NRC process, which is a process set to determine who are the citizens of India, an exercise similar to the one that took place in Assam, which has excluded over 19 lakh people over speculations that they may not be Indian citizens, leaving their fate to decision of the malfunctioning Foreigners Tribunals.

The post B’desh Minister asks for list of illegal migrants, agrees to take them back appeared first on SabrangIndia.

There is no denying that the problem of illegalimmigration from Bangladesh is quite real. Although one cannot view this in the background of the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and Foreigners Tribunals, since that is, from its inception a questionable and even arbitrary exercise and has at its base a historically and politically driven document, the Assam Accord. The question in Assam has been deemed by stake-holders there to be state-specific arising out of the tumultuous and even violent years of the 1970s and 1980s. End result however has been a callous and crude bureau-political exercise that led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions.

In “preparation for a nation wide NRC”, many states in India have taken up the task of constructing detention centres within their jurisdictions and the police have started cracking down on suspected illegal immigrants, never mind the fact that the exercise in itself may be not quite lawful or statute-driven. This process of trying to identify illegal immigrants is more like a game of darts, sometimes they hit, sometimes they miss. Not knowing how to differentiate a Bengali speaking Indian from a Bengali speaking Bangladeshi immigrant, is the premise of this game.

Recently, the police in RT Nagar of Bengaluru, Karnataka arrested a 37 year old woman from Bangladesh for overstaying. The woman who had come to India on a student visa in 2003, later on got married and has a child. She even procured a PAN Card, Aadhar Card, Voter’s ID and she applied for a passport, when it came to light that she had overstayed and was thus labelled an illegal immigrant and arrested under the Foreigners Act.If ultimately this becomes a legitimate case of illegal immigration, thendue tothe woman’s ignorance of the law her family will have to pay a heavy price.

Not far back, Sabrang India reported that Bengali speaking workers were facing a likely and informal ban in housing complexes in Bengaluru wherein it was also highlighted how many low income Bengali speaking Indians as well illegal immigrants live in the outskirts of Bengaluru and work as rag pickers and how they are exploited. It is now being reported that the many rag pickers living in these outskirts, who were apparently hailing from Assam and West Bengal have fled apprehending detention or arrests, adversely affecting the dry waste processing in the city.

There are reports coming from other states were police are nabbing illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in the cities of Mathura or Delhi or Agra or Bengaluru itself.

But there is another side of this coin where Bengali speaking population in Bengaluru is accusing the state of targeting them without reason. In a recent incident, Kaustav Bhattacharya, a resident of Electronic City said he was taken to the local police station for questioning simply because his address on his driving license was of West Bengal.

While it is too early to determine how legitimate will such impending detentions be, one can only hope that innocent and rightful citizens do not meet the same fate as the citizenry in Assam.

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Bengali speaking workers face likely ban in Bengaluru apartments, what’s next?
Bangladeshi ragpickers flee Bengaluru; dry waste processing hit
Bangladeshi woman held for overstaying, settling
Bengalis in city say they’re being unfairly targeted

The post The game of hits and misses: crackdown on “illegal” immigrants appeared first on SabrangIndia.