India Forcibly Sending Bengali-Speaking Muslims to Bangladesh, Says Human Rights Watch
New Delhi, 25 July – (www.deccanlive.com): Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Indian government of forcibly expelling Bengali-speaking Muslims to Bangladesh under the pretext of removing illegal migrants.
In its latest report, HRW said that between May 7 and June 15, at least 1,500 men, women, and children were pushed across the border, many of them beaten and stripped of their Indian identity documents. The organization claims that these actions target Indian Bengali Muslims, portraying them as illegal migrants for political gains.
HRW Asia Director Elaine Pearson said, “The ruling BJP is fueling discrimination by expelling Bengali Muslims, including Indian citizens, under the guise of fighting illegal immigration.”
The report highlights that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has frequently referred to migrants from Bangladesh as “infiltrators” in his speeches. Critics say these mass expulsions violate international human rights standards and undermine India’s long history of offering refuge to persecuted communities.
The Indian government has admitted to sending undocumented Bangladeshis back but has not disclosed official figures. Meanwhile, concerns remain over reports that even Rohingya refugees were detained and abandoned in international waters in May — an allegation the Supreme Court called a “well-crafted story,” but which the government has yet to deny publicly. (RK & DW)
