The Odisha government and state BJP leaders have strongly dismissed allegations made by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Yusuf Pathan, who claimed that Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal are being mistreated in Odisha. In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Pathan raised concerns about the treatment of these workers. However, the Odisha government and state BJP leaders have categorically refuted these claims, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.
In a letter dated May 2, Pathan, the MP from Murshidabad, alleged that Muslim workers from Bengal, particularly from districts such as Murshidabad and Berhampore, are facing systematic abuse and inhumane treatment in Odisha, resulting in many returning home in distress. He urged the central government to investigate the matter and safeguard the rights and dignity of the migrant labour force.
However, the Odisha government strongly denied the allegations. State Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan made it clear that the administration is not targeting any community but is strictly acting against illegal immigrants residing in the state without valid documentation.
“The Odisha government is not deporting Muslims,” Harichandan stated. “We are only acting against those who are staying illegally—migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh without valid documents. No member of the Muslim community has been affected. We will deport only those residing here without legal status.”
The Odisha State BJP unit reacted strongly to the allegations made by Trinamul Congress MP Pathan. Odisha BJP spokesman Anil Biswal took to social media to accuse Pathan of misleading the public and politicising a sensitive issue. He claimed that many individuals referred to as “migrant workers” are, in reality, illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh and the Rohingya community who have entered India using forged documents.
“These infiltrators are disturbing the social harmony and cultural fabric of Odisha,” Biswal stated in his post. “They carry fake identity documents, distributed with the help of the ruling regime in Bengal, and misuse them to claim legitimacy in other states.”
Biswal also questioned Pathan’s selective concern, asking, “Where was your voice when Hindus were attacked in Murshidabad?” He concluded by asserting that the focus should be on combating terrorism and illegal infiltration, not on shielding those undermining national security under the pretext of human rights.
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