"Bengali migrant workers facing harassment in Odisha and Maharashtra": Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury writes to President Murmu's; seeks intervention

India Gazette

11 hours ago

New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has written to the President of India, expressing grave concern over the ongoing harassment, illegal detention, and physical abuse of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in states like Odisha and Maharashtra.
In his letter, he highlighted that these workers are being wrongfully targeted due to their appearance and linguistic accent, under the false suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals.
In the letter, Chowdhury stated, 'I wish to bring to your kind attention the very sad and cruel fact about the harassment, humiliation, threats as also illegal detention and physical torture a large number of Bengali migrant workers who are eking out their living as daily wage labourers engaged mostly in un-skilled and semi-skilled occupations in different parts of states like Odisha, Maharashtra are being subjected to. The fact that the physical appearance and accent of the language spoken by these migrant workers, who are bona fide Indian citizens, is similar to that of Bangladeshis is being used as a pretext to harass, humiliate, physically assault and hold these innocent people in detention.'
He further noted the significant economic contributions of these workers, saying, 'I would also like to reiterate that those lakhs of migrant workers who were compelled to venture into other states for their livelihoods also contribute significantly to the revenue kitty of the State Government through their remittances. Now those migrants are supposed to be rendered unemployed as they are the victims of witch-hunting of Bangladeshis resulting large-scale repatriation (returning back) to their respective destinations, much to the distress of them.'
Urging immediate intervention, Chowdhury pleaded, 'I therefore earnestly plead for your kind intervention by way of taking appropriate measures to see that innocent Bengali speaking people who are bona fide Indian nationals working as labourers in Odisha, Maharashtra and other states are not subjected to harassment, humiliation, torture and loss of livelihood.'
Meanwhile, TMC, through its official X handle, has released a video featuring TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, alleging a 'witch hunt' against Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states.
The party claims that Bengali workers are being harassed, detained, and deported across borders, while legitimate Indian citizens are receiving NRC notices solely for speaking Bangla.
AITC accused BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari of labelling these individuals as 'Rohingyas' to communalise the issue and deflect from what they describe as a systematic targeting of Bengalis.
The party further stated that Adhikari and his associates are 'enemies of Bengal and Bengalis' and predicted their rejection in the 2026 elections. No official response has been received from the BJP or Suvendu Adhikari at the time of reporting. (ANI)