Bengali Migrant Workers Help Identify Rohingya: In a politically charged statement, West Bengal BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya claimed that Bengali migrant workers settled in states like Delhi, Maharashtra, and Haryana are playing a key role in helping local administrations identify illegal Rohingya migrants and Bangladeshi infiltrators. Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Bhattacharya said,
“Workers from Bengal, especially from areas like Basirhat, Bongaon, and Bagnan, are providing ground intelligence because their livelihoods are being threatened by the influx of illegal migrants who also speak Bengali.”
He added that many of these migrant workers have begun to differentiate themselves from Rohingya and undocumented Bangladeshis, as they believe such individuals are denting job prospects and drawing unnecessary scrutiny.
TMC Reacts Strongly: ‘Attack on Bengali Identity’
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) condemned the BJP’s remarks, calling them a thinly veiled attempt to malign Bengali-speaking Muslims and sow division among migrant communities. TMC MP Samirul Islam raised the issue in Parliament, citing recent arbitrary detentions of workers from West Bengal in Pune and Gurgaon, some of whom belonged to the Matua community — a voter base courted by both TMC and BJP.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the allegations a “disgraceful attempt” to link the Bengali language with foreign infiltration. She has vowed to launch a statewide Bhasha Andolan (Language Movement) to protect the rights of Bengali-speaking Indians across the country.
Wave of Detentions Fuels Panic Among Migrant Families
Recent weeks have seen multiple reports of Bengali-speaking migrants being detained by police in cities like Gurgaon, Pune, and Noida. While some arrests were linked to a lack of valid documents, others were reportedly based on language, appearance, or religion.
In Pune, five workers from Murshidabad were detained by local authorities under suspicion of being undocumented Bangladeshis, only to be released after verification of Aadhaar cards and voter IDs.
Rohingya Infiltration: National Security vs Human Rights
The Indian government has been consistently raising concerns about the illegal immigration of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar through Bangladesh into Eastern India. Agencies like the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) have flagged security risks posed by illegal migration, especially along the porous Bengal-Bangladesh border.
India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, but had previously allowed Rohingya refugees to settle in camps in Jammu, Hyderabad, and Delhi. However, policy in recent years has shifted, with increasing deportations and detentions.
According to UNHCR, India hosts approximately 20,000 registered Rohingya refugees, but many more remain unregistered.
Fear of Misidentification: Indian Citizens Caught in the Crossfire
The BJP’s aggressive campaign against illegal immigration has raised alarms among civil liberties organisations, which warn that many Indian citizens — especially poor, unlettered migrant workers — are being wrongly targeted.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has repeatedly urged caution, asking state authorities to ensure that identification procedures do not violate constitutional protections. According to the NHRC, many workers lack proper documentation due to poverty, displacement, or administrative failures, not because they are foreigners.
Cultural Fallout: Is Bengali Language Being Criminalised?
Cultural experts argue that conflating Bengali language with illegal immigration is deeply problematic. “This narrative reduces the identity of Bengali-speaking Indians to suspicion and scrutiny,” says Prof. Aritra Sen from Jadavpur University’s Political Science department.
Even the Matua community, which had earlier supported the BJP due to promises of citizenship under CAA, now feels betrayed. “We supported them hoping for security, but now even our people are being detained,” said a Matua leader in North 24 Parganas.
TMC’s Political Strategy: Bhasha Andolan 2.0
Mamata Banerjee’s call for a Bhasha Andolan is being seen as a calculated political response. The original Language Movement in Bengal dates back to the 1950s when Bengalis protested against Hindi imposition. Banerjee has drawn a parallel, claiming that Bengali pride and dignity are again under threat.
Public meetings have been announced in Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, and Birbhum, with the CM likely to lead rallies against the ‘linguistic profiling’ of Bengali workers.
Migration Patterns: How Many Bengali Workers Are Outside the State?
According to Census 2011, West Bengal has one of the highest rates of out-migration in India. An estimated 1.5 crore people from Bengal are living and working in other Indian states.
Most of these workers are engaged in:
- Construction work (Delhi NCR, Pune, Bengaluru)
- Hospitality and domestic services (Mumbai, Surat, Chennai)
- Factory and warehouse labour (Noida, Faridabad, Ludhiana)
🔗 Census India – Migration Data
Policy Challenges: Balancing Security with Rights
While there is consensus across political parties that illegal immigration must be addressed, the real challenge lies in differentiating foreign infiltrators from Indian citizens, especially when language and religion overlap.
Experts have called for a transparent and rights-based protocol for identification that includes:
- Verification through Aadhaar, Voter ID, and PAN
- Interviews conducted in the local language
- Right to appeal against wrongful detention
- Use of community verification models
Looking Ahead: A Heated Political Battle Brews
With Lok Sabha elections nearing, the BJP is likely to amplify its narrative on national security and illegal immigration, particularly in Bengal, Assam, and Tripura. Meanwhile, TMC’s counter-narrative will focus on Bengali identity and cultural respect.
The outcome could determine how millions of migrant workers from Bengal will vote in 2026. As the BJP seeks to expand its footprint in the east, Mamata Banerjee appears equally determined to protect what she calls the soul of Bengal.
External Sources for Verification and Research
- UNHCR – Rohingya Emergency
- National Human Rights Commission
- Ministry of Home Affairs – Migration Policy
- Census India – Migration Tables
- Observer Research Foundation – Rohingya in India
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