All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the labeling of Bengali-speaking Muslims as “illegal immigrants” He argued that many of them are among the poorest of the poor, primarily slum‑dwellers, domestic workers, and rag‑pickers.
He further exaggerated that the “poor” people have been targeted rapaciously because they are not in a position to challenge police atrocities.
“Police in different parts of India have been illegally detaining Bengali-speaking Muslim citizens and accusing them of being Bangladeshi. There have been disturbing reports of Indian citizens being pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint. This government acts strongly with the weak, and weak with the strong. Most of those who are accused of being ‘illegal immigrants’ are the poorest of the poor: slum-dwellers, cleaners, domestic workers, rag-pickers, etc. They have been targeted repeatedly because they are not in a position to challenge police atrocities,” the AIMIM chief posted on X.
“Police do not have the power to detain people just because they speak a particular language. These wide-net detentions are illegal,” Owaisi said.
He shared a scanned directive from the Office of the District Magistrate in Gurugram in his post on X, which outlines a state government-mandated standard operating procedure (SOP) for identifying and deporting Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya migrants.
Earlier, Assam Minister Atul Bora supported the state’s eviction drive against illegal encroachments in tribal areas. He said the move, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is important to protect tribal land, and praised the CM’s visits to districts to monitor the action.
Speaking to ANI, Minister Bora said, “We are wholeheartedly supporting this move of the CM. It is there even in my own district, the CM is visiting there today. It is important to do this, wherever the issue persists, because whoever has encroached on the tribal belt and block? Doubtful people. So, this is very important.”