Recent immigration raids conducted in major cities of India, particularly in areas where skyscrapers and poverty landscapes coexist, have caused significant uproar in social and political spheres. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
In Gurugram, local authorities detained hundreds of migrant workers, mainly Muslims from West Bengal who speak Bengali, as illegal citizens of Bangladesh. Those apprehended during the raid were placed in special detention centers and forced to present documents proving their citizenship.
Some workers, including Ater Ali Shaykh, who has lived in the city for 15 years, reported that despite having documents, they were deemed fake and were beaten by the police. The police denied such claims, stating that only 10 out of 250 individuals were actually identified as illegal migrants.
As a result of the raids, hundreds of worker families were forced to leave the city overnight, leading to a breakdown of service systems in the city. For example, the waste collection system collapsed, and many households were left without domestic workers.
While some citizens living in affluent neighborhoods of the city were affected by this situation, fear and distrust among poor migrants intensified. Experts emphasize that such raids are not a new phenomenon, but in recent years, especially during the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, deportation measures against Muslims from Bangladesh have intensified.
A new directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in May tasked all states with forming special teams to identify illegal migrants and verify their documents within 30 days. Human rights activists are drawing attention to the main issue of the procedure.
They argue that even after the documents of the suspects are verified, no official certificate confirming citizenship is issued. This situation leaves them at risk of being re-arrested at any time.
As a result, thousands of Bengali Muslims living in the outskirts of Indian cities are constantly trying to keep their documents safe while living in fear of deportation.
