TMC Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam has strongly protested against the detention of ‘Bangladeshis’ in Odisha. He claimed that the detainees are ‘migrants’ from West Bengal and termed their arrest as unconstitutional.
As per Samirul Islam, about 100 workers from West Bengal who had travelled to Odisha for work have been ‘incorrectly identified’ and detained as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
“Such individuals are Indian citizens and permanent residents of Bengal. They were present in Odisha purely for work. Rather than properly verifying, they’ve been arrested and sent to detention,” he alleged.
He further said that senior officials from West Bengal, following directions from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have already contacted their counterparts in Odisha and sought the release of the workers.
Islam blamed the BJP government in Odisha for one-sided targeting and stated that such events are occurring in a number of BJP-ruled states.
In the meantime, officials from Odisha stated that the process is simply a routine verification in the wake of recent security issues and that they are in contact with the West Bengal administration.
