The Odisha government’s move to detain 444 suspected Bangladeshi nationals has sparked a slugfest with the ruling Trinamool Congress, which has claimed that most of them were Bengali-speaking migrant workers. The issue, simmering over the past few days, has also reached the Calcutta High Court, which posed tough questions to the Odisha government on the detentions.

The row started after the Odisha government, in a special campaign to crack down on illegal immigrants, detained 444 individuals in Jharsuguda district. Sources told India Today that intel inputs had flagged the presence of a significant number of Bangladeshi nationals in the district.

HAD NO VALID DOCUMENTS: ODISHA

An Odisha police officer said they were detained upon failing to provide valid residency or citizenship documents, and underscored that the police were not targeting any community or region.

“The individuals under scrutiny lack valid documentation to establish their residency or citizenship… This procedure is not about targeting any community or region but about ensuring the security of our nation,” Himanshu Lal, IGP of Northern Range, Sambalpur, tweeted.

TRINAMOOL CONGRESS HITS BACK

However, the Trinamool Congress has alleged that the detainees included over 200 migrant workers from Bengal districts such as Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman and South 24 Parganas.

The ruling party in Bengal has alleged that raids were specifically conducted in colonies where Bengali-speaking labourers reside.

“Atrocities against Bengali-speaking migrant workers continue in Odisha… The BJP government recently detained over 200 migrant workers from Bengal districts on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam tweeted.

“What is their fault? That they speak Bengali? What grudge do Narendra Modi and Amit Shah hold against these poor Bengalis?” he further said.

MAHUA MOITRA SLAMS MOHAN MAJHI GOVT

Leading the charge for the Trinamool has been its fiery MP Mahua Moitra, who first claimed that 23 workers from her constituency were among those detained.

Moitra emphasised that such incidents never took place during the regime of the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government. She also warned that Odisha’s economy would take a hit if Bengali tourists stop visiting the state.

“50% of Odisha’s tourism revenue comes from Bengali tourists. They are the ones who stay in your hotels, eat at your restaurants, visit your pilgrimage sites. What if Bengali tourists stop going to Odisha?” Moitra said.

Bengal is a major contributor to Odisha’s tourist influx. Bengali tourists account for around 14% of total domestic arrivals, especially in Puri, which is home to the iconic Jagannath temple.

Moitra also posted a video in which a man, kept in a large hall with other detainees, says that they were Indians and not Bangladeshi citizens.

Amid the massive uproar, the Odisha government has released some of the individuals.

On Friday, Moitra targeted the Mohan Charan Majhi government again, claiming two of the 23 workers from her constituency were still being held as their phones had Bangladeshi contact numbers.

“Robiul Sheikh and Mohir Munshi with verified documents still being detained illegally by Odisha only because of a Bangladeshi phone number on their phones! All BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) members should be detained by the same logic,” Moitra tweeted.

BJP BLAMES TMC FOR INFILTRATION

Countering Moitra, whom he dubbed a “loudmouth”, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya alleged that the Trinamool was flooding India with Bangladeshi infiltrators.

“335 out of 444 had fake documents – issued by none other than the TMC government in West Bengal. Every state must be extremely cautious while hiring labour or employees carrying fake Bengal-issued documents,” Malviya said.

MATTER REACHES HIGH COURT

The matter also reached the Calcutta High Court, which pulled up the Odisha government over the detentions.

“Where are the migrant workers now? On what basis were they detained? Has any action been taken against them?,” the court asked.

The division bench subsequently directed the Bengal chief secretary to coordinate with his Odisha counterpart to ensure the release of the migrant workers.

The High Court’s direction came after a petition was filed by a person who claimed his son, who went to Odisha in search of a job, was among the detainees.

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