Many states have started the process of identifying Bangladeshis illegally living in different parts, as a part of an exercise to deport immigrants.
In Odisha, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said on Monday that the state government has issued a direction to all district collectors, coastal security agencies and formed a special task force (STF) to coordinate the process of identifying the unspecified Bangladeshi immigrants.
“The government has taken a tough stance. No foreign national national citizen will be allowed to live in Odisha without a legitimate legal status. The identity process has already started and will be carefully done in all the districts,” said Mr. Harichandan.
He said that initial discussion with various government branches and agencies such as people appointing migrant laborers have been asked to verify their identity and nationalities.
“Various engineering departments of the state government have been asked not to attach any Bangladesh or foreign nationals without valid documents,” he said.
The state government has nominated STF as a nodal agency to coordinate and monitor the developments, in addition to working closely with district-level officials, coastal security forces and other enforcement units.
The districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagat Singhpur, Puri and Ganjam have been identified as housing areas of illegal migrants.
STF Director General Pinak Mishra said that after the identity process is completed, the government will initiate legal proceedings under the Act and other relevant laws of foreigners to deport illegal migrants.
“Since Odisha has shared its border with West Bengal, which is the border of Bangladesh, we are having a strict alert because there is every possibility of infiltration, it is through waterways or roadways,” he said.
The Maharashtra government is also doing a similar practice with the Mumbai Police, stating that 300 illegal Bangladeshis have been deported so far in recent times. Police said that 766 such illegal migrants have been arrested so far this year.
Eighteen lakh ration cards were canceled by May 18, officials said that most of the holders had the possibility of illegal Bangladeshi residents. In Mumbai, 4.8 lakh ration cards were canceled.
Cabinet Minister Chandrashekhar Bawanul said, “Our government will not do injustice for any such family … Our government will not do injustice to anyone except Bangladeshi intruders. Action will be taken against those who are eligible for action, action will not be disturbed.”
A Kahadul Sheikh, who says that he is from West Bengal, agrees that the police should tighten the illegal entry of Bangladeshis and who make fake documents, but do not target laborers like them who have come to live a life from the eastern state. He said that he has also scored several rounds of police stations for verification.
India has adopted a new “push back” strategy to deal with Bangladesh infiltration, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters earlier this month. He said that the Center has deported illegal migrants including Rohingyas from different parts of the country, including the Matia Detention Center in Golpara – one of the biggest facilities in the country is one of the illegal migrants.
Calling across the border an infiltration a “big issue”, Mr. Sarma said that it would be minimized due to the new “push back” incident. “Earlier, we used to arrest 1,000-1,500 foreigners. We used to arrest them, and they were sent to jails, and then they will be produced before a law court. Now, we have decided that we will not bring them to our country, and push them back,” he said.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on April 30 directed the police to launch a campaign against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and ensure their exile.
Subsequently, the first batch of 148 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants was scored by the police, sent to West Bengal on a special flight, as part of the exile process, police sources said.
“These intruders were placed in one of the two detention centers established in Jaipur. In the first phase of their exile, 148 have been sent to Jodhpur and sent to West Bengal for final exile,” one of them said.
The source said that 1,008 “intruders” have been detained in the practice so far in 17 districts of the state.
(Pooja Bhardavaj, with input from Dev Kumar Ghosh)
