Kolkata: A hawker from West Bengal was harassed in Odisha after being called a “Bangladeshi” by a self-described Hindutva activist. The victim, identified as Mustakim Sheikh, was stopped while travelling on his motorcycle and threatened with being sent to Bangladesh if he did not leave the area.
A video showing the incident has since circulated widely on social media. However, eNewsroom has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.
In the video, the saffron clad man stopped hawker’s motorcycle and demanded that he produce his Aadhaar card. After Mustakim showed the document, the man questioned its authenticity and accused him of possessing a fake Aadhaar card. He further threatened Mustakim, saying that he would be sent to Bangladesh and warning him not to return to the area.
Bengali-Speaking Hawker Says He Was Threatened in Odisha
Mustakim is a resident of Fatepur village under Mayagram panchayat in the Lalgola police station area of Murshidabad district, West Bengal. According to his family, Mustakim has been travelling to Odisha for several years to sell garments and other retail goods to support his family. A few months ago, five people from the area reportedly travelled to Odisha with a local moneylender to engage in retail trade. Mustakim was among them.
Following the incident, Mustakim and two other workers approached the local police station on Thursday, September 3, expressing concern for their safety and reporting the alleged harassment and threats.
Speaking to eNewsroom, Mustakim said he had travelled to Odisha only to earn a livelihood.
“We have to travel to different places to earn a living. The middle-aged man, under the influence of alcohol, stopped me on the road and harassed me, alleging me a Bangladeshi. We became frightened and went to the police station,” he said.
A member of Mustakim’s family said he had been travelling to Odisha for around 15 years for work. Although he sometimes stays home because of health problems, the family depends on his earnings from work outside the state.
“On Thursday, I received a phone call informing me that a local man had harassed Mustakim by accusing him a Bangladeshi. Considering his safety, we approached the local police station and reported the matter. For the time being, Mustakim is continuing to work there,” the family member said.
Migrant Workers Raise Concern Over ‘Bangladeshi’ Labelling
The incident has also raised concerns among organisations working with migrant workers from West Bengal, particularly amid reports of Bengali-speaking workers facing suspicion and harassment in other states.
Asif Faruk, general secretary of the Parijayee Shramik Aikya Mancha, condemned the alleged incident and said that workers from West Bengal have the right to live and work in any part of the country.
“Lakhs of workers from West Bengal travel to different states in search of employment. It is extremely concerning when people are labelled as Bangladeshi merely because they speak Bengali. Harassing, intimidating or assaulting workers based on their religion, language or regional identity is not only a violation of their dignity but also raises serious questions about their constitutional rights,” Faruk told eNewsroom.
He also urged the government to take steps to ensure the safety and security of Bengali-speaking migrant workers working in other parts of the country.
Rahul Chakraborty, a member of the central committee of the human rights organisation Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), also criticised the incident.
Chakraborty told eNewsroom, “The Constitution of India guarantees citizens the fundamental right to move freely, reside and pursue a lawful occupation in any part of the country. Questioning a worker’s identity based on his language, publicly humiliating him and threatening him to leave an area, if established, would raise serious legal and constitutional concerns.”
He added that citizenship-related questions, if they arise, should be dealt with only through established legal and administrative procedures.
“No individual or self-appointed group has the authority to act as a parallel judicial or administrative body. If there is any genuine doubt regarding a person’s citizenship, it is for the competent authorities to verify the matter according to law,” he added.
The incident has once again brought attention to the difficulties faced by migrant workers from West Bengal who travel to other states in search of employment. For workers like Mustakim, travelling across state borders is primarily a means of earning a livelihood and supporting their families.
Meanwhile, Mustakim’s family said their immediate priority is his safety and urged the authorities to ensure that he can continue working without intimidation or harassment.
