TERRORIZED FOR TONGUE & FAITH: Bengali Migrant Workers Brutalized in BJP-Ruled States

Kolkata — On April 15, a group of 20 migrant workers from Murshidabad arrived in Sambalpur, Odisha, hoping for steady work in construction. What they met was terror. Days later, they were surrounded by local men demanding to see their Aadhaar cards. Once the men confirmed they were Bengali Muslims, the violence began.
The workers were forced to walk in a line through the village while being whipped with sticks and belts, some hit with chains and sharp weapons. “They beat us like animals. We begged them to stop,” said one worker who later returned home with deep wounds on his back.

Fearing further violence, many of the injured fled back to Murshidabad. Chad Mohammed, one of the survivors, filed a police complaint in Beldanga after returning: “There was no point reporting it there. We were terrified. Only after reaching home could I gather the courage to go to the police.”

‘They Asked If I Was Bengali—Then Dragged Me Away’: Gujarat Police Detain Indian Citizens

On April 26, Gujarat Police launched a sweeping raid in Ahmedabad and Surat, detaining over 1,000 individuals on suspicion of being ‘illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.’ Of those, 884 were later confirmed to be Indian citizens.
Among them were at least 20 migrant workers from Bengal—including Sultan Mallick and Sheikh Ataur Rahman (Labhpur, Birbhum), Kamaruzzaman Mallick (East Burdwan), Saibul Sheikh (Nadia), and Saidul Sheikh (Murshidabad). Many had been working in Surat for over a decade.

“I was sitting in the shop like any other day,” said Saidul Sheikh. “The police came and asked, ‘Are you Bengali?’ When I said yes, they didn’t listen to anything else. They grabbed me and threw me into the van.”

Saidul showed them his Aadhaar, PAN, and voter ID—all ignored. He was jailed for a week before being released, only after intervention by a senior officer. “It didn’t matter to them that I had all the documents. To them, being a Bengali Muslim was enough.”

A large number of migrant workers from West Bengal are employed across various Indian states. However, reports indicate that their rights are being systematically violated in many regions. These workers often face discrimination, abuse, and even physical harassment — especially for speaking their native language, Bangla.

May Month Irony: As World Celebrates Labour, Workers Flee in Fear in India

May — a month that begins with observing International Workers’ Day to honour the contributions and rights of workers — is often marked by rallies and awareness programs in many countries. However, the ground reality for many migrant workers tells a very different story. We bring you stories of the plight of Bengali-speaking migrant workers from across the country.

The situation has worsened following the violence in Murshidabad linked to the Waqf movement. Since then, numerous incidents of intimidation and assault on Bengali workers have been reported. There are alarming accounts of workers being robbed of their earnings, having their identity cards forcibly taken, and being denied basic legal support. Many allege that local police authorities are either unresponsive or ineffective. Samiul Islam, a migrant worker, voiced his frustration: “Only when workers are empowered will true development take place in this country. Not before that.”

It has further deteriorated after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Bengali Muslims, in particular, are reportedly facing a surge of hatred and suspicion in several states. Instances of hate speech and targeted hostility have been frequently reported from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

These disturbing developments raise critical questions about the safety, dignity, and rights of migrant labourers — the very backbone of India’s economy.

Hawker Assaulted in Dhenkanal, Falsely Accused of Being Bangladeshi

In Odisha’s Dhenkanal, an elderly hawker from Murshidabad—selling plastic household goods door-to-door—was slapped and humiliated by locals who accused him of being a Bangladeshi.

A video of the incident circulated on social media, showing the hawker surrounded and mocked for his accent and Muslim identity. His relatives say he’s traumatised and refuses to go back to work. “He’s been working in Odisha for years. This is the first time he’s been targeted like this,” said a family member.

“You Beat Hindus and Come Here?”

The ordeal didn’t end with Chad’s group. Mohammad Bashir Sheikh (28) and Golap Sheikh (21), both masons from Suti Mahishail-2 Gram Panchayat, shared similar stories. “Locals barged into our rented room, checked our Aadhaar, and started beating us after seeing we were Muslims,” Bashir said. “I was hit on my back and legs. No one dared to help.”

Golap, assaulted just after arriving by train, described being accused of “killing Hindus,” abused in public, and dragged through the streets by men wielding sharp weapons. “I returned home fearing I would be killed,” he said.

Jabbar Sheikh, another migrant, said he tried working secretly for a week before facing threats. “They kept saying, ‘You beat Hindus in Kashmir and come here to take our jobs?’ They patrolled with knives, searching for Muslims from Murshidabad,” he said. “The police did nothing. We just wanted to earn our bread.”

One unnamed worker who returned before Eid-ul-Azha said, “In my 20 years of masonry work, I’ve never seen anything like this. No job, no income—I don’t know how I’ll feed my family.”

A Hawker Assaulted in Dhenkanal

The violence isn’t limited to Sambalpur. In Dhenkanal, an elderly hawker from Murshidabad was allegedly assaulted by local residents while selling daily goods door to door. A video, now viral on social media, shows the man being surrounded and slapped, with attackers reportedly mocking his Murshidabad roots. Though eNewsroom could not independently verify the video, a relative confirmed the assault, saying, “He was targeted solely because of his religious identity.”

Workers’ Rights in Peril

These incidents come at a time when India marks International Workers’ Day in May, a symbolic tribute to the dignity and rights of labourers. Yet, the reality on the ground for migrant workers—especially Bengali-speaking Muslims—is far removed from such ideals.

In recent weeks, rising incidents of communal violence and xenophobic profiling have pushed hundreds of workers to flee job sites and return to Bengal. Many allege they were robbed of earnings, stripped of documents, and denied any legal recourse.

Samiul Islam, a migrant worker, summed up the growing despair: “Unless workers are protected and empowered, development is just a myth in this country.”

Tensions Rise Post-Pahalgam and Murshidabad Violence

The situation has notably worsened since the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and communal tensions in Jangipur, Murshidabad. These events appear to have intensified Islamophobic sentiment in multiple states. Bengali Muslim workers are increasingly being targeted with slurs, threats, and violence—simply for their religious and regional identity.

From Gujarat to Odisha, Maharashtra to Madhya Pradesh, Assam to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana to Delhi the pattern is alarmingly familiar—migrant workers facing hate speech, communal violence, and police apathy.

Political Voices React

Beldanga MLA Mohammad Hasanuzzaman of the Trinamool Congress has condemned the Odisha incidents, stating, “This is a deeply saddening and condemnable episode. I will raise the matter with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure justice.”

A senior TMC leader, requesting anonymity, accused the BJP of politicising identity. “There was coordination under Naveen Patnaik’s rule. But ever since the BJP took over in Odisha, anti-Bengali sentiment has been on the rise,” he said. “This is not just about workers. It’s about a communal agenda being played out at the expense of human lives.”

Activists Demand Urgent Action

Human rights activist Matiur Rahman echoed the concern: “Workers from Murshidabad are going to these states for survival, not politics. Whether masons or hawkers, they are being harassed simply for being Muslims. This trend has worsened under BJP rule.”

Rahman recalled a similar wave of hostility last August, when reports of communal violence in Bangladesh led to threats against Muslim workers in Odisha. At the time, Mamata Banerjee had personally called Odisha’s Chief Minister to intervene.

“But things have only gotten worse,” he said. “The fear is now so intense that hundreds of workers are leaving Odisha.”

Gujarat Police Crackdown: Profiling in the Name of Law

The alarm bells grew louder on April 26, when Gujarat Police arrested 1,024 individuals in Ahmedabad and Surat, claiming they were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Shockingly, 884 of them turned out to be Indian citizens, mostly from Muslim and interstate migrant communities.

Those detained hailed from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan—and Bengal districts including Murshidabad, Birbhum, Nadia, and East Burdwan.

Among the detained were about 20 Bengali migrant workers. Though many were released after verification, the episode underscored a disturbing trend: the criminalization and profiling of the poor and marginalised in the name of immigration enforcement.

Civil rights groups slammed the operation as “heavy-handed” and “communal,” pointing to a growing pattern of institutional bias.