MASUM condemns mass detentions and demolitions in Gujarat, calls for judicial review

By A Representative

Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), a prominent human rights organization based in West Bengal, has strongly condemned the recent mass detentions and demolitions targeting individuals alleged to be Bangladeshi nationals in Gujarat.

According to media reports, over 1,000 people, including women and children, have been detained across Ahmedabad, Surat, Valsad, and Navsari in a crackdown led by the Gujarat Police, Special Operations Group (SOG), and the Crime Branch. MASUM has raised concerns that many of those detained are Indian citizens, particularly migrant workers from West Bengal, who are being targeted based on superficial markers such as language or appearance.

The organization highlighted the absence of due legal process, noting that none of the detained individuals have been produced before a competent court. MASUM emphasized that even if some are foreign nationals, established legal procedures under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and related laws must be followed for identification, verification, and deportation.

MASUM also expressed alarm over reports of bulldozers being used to demolish homes without legal notice or judicial oversight, calling it an unconstitutional form of "bulldozer justice." The crackdown, which intensified after the Pahelgam incident, has been criticized as collective punishment targeting marginalized Muslim communities.

In its statement, MASUM demanded judicial review of all detentions and provision of legal aid to detainees. The organization also called for accountability for public officials involved in unlawful actions and urged immediate intervention by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Supreme Court to uphold the rule of law.

The organization warned that such actions violate fundamental rights and undermine India's democratic principles.

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