Odisha Government's Detention of Suspected Bangladeshi Nationals Sparks Controversy
The Odisha government's recent decision to detain 444 individuals suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals has led to significant political backlash, particularly from the Trinamool Congress. They argue that many of those detained are Bengali-speaking migrant workers. This issue has escalated to the Calcutta High Court, which is questioning the state's actions. The police claim the detentions were based on the absence of valid documents, while the TMC alleges that the raids disproportionately affected Bengali-speaking communities. The situation raises critical concerns about migrant rights and the implications for Odisha's economy if Bengali tourists are deterred from visiting.
| Jul 11, 2025, 16:20 IST
Controversy Over Detention of 444 Suspected Bangladeshi Nationals
The recent action by the Odisha government to detain 444 individuals suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals has ignited a fierce dispute with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which asserts that many of those detained are Bengali-speaking migrant workers. This contentious issue has escalated to the Calcutta High Court, which has posed tough questions to the Odisha government regarding the detained individuals. The controversy began when the Odisha government launched a special operation aimed at curbing illegal immigration, resulting in the detention of these individuals in Jharsuguda district, following intelligence reports indicating a significant presence of Bangladeshi citizens in the area.
An Odisha police official stated that the detentions were made due to the lack of valid residency or citizenship documents, emphasizing that the police are not targeting any specific community or region. However, the TMC has alleged that the detained individuals include over 200 migrant workers from districts in Bengal such as Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman, and South 24 Parganas.
The ruling party in Bengal has claimed that the raids specifically targeted colonies where Bengali-speaking workers reside. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam tweeted about the ongoing oppression of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Odisha, stating that the BJP government has recently detained over 200 migrant workers from Bengal on suspicions of being Bangladeshi nationals. MP Mahua Moitra from TMC has also highlighted that among those detained are 23 workers from her constituency. She stressed that such incidents never occurred during the tenure of the BJD government led by Naveen Patnaik and warned that a decline in Bengali tourists visiting Odisha could harm the state's economy.