'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative 

Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Islam, who resides in Gurgaon, recounted how he and his wife Neelima Sharma had witnessed distressing scenes over the past ten days, as police in plainclothes allegedly raided residential quarters of Bengali-speaking Muslims, often at night, without explanation or warrants.

“These plainclothes men, often abusive and unaccountable, round up these workers and take them to multiple police stations,” Islam stated. “They are accused of being illegal migrants and are subjected to brutal beatings even before any verification of their documents.”

According to victims, a common refrain from those detaining them has been: "Yahan Mamta Didi ka raj nahin hai, Modi ka raj hai" (This is not Mamta Didi’s rule, this is Modi’s rule), a reference to the shift from the political climate of West Bengal to BJP-governed Haryana.

Islam noted that many of those picked up were released only after alleged payments, though the exact nature and terms of these releases remain unclear, as families are too afraid to speak.

He said the ordeal extends to the families of the detained men, particularly the women waiting outside detention centres. "Their pain and helplessness must be seen to be believed," he wrote.

In a letter dated July 16, 2025, addressed to the West Bengal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, Ms. Ujjaini Datta, as well as other officials including Mr. Rajdeep Datta and Mr. Ashis Jana, Islam urged immediate intervention. The letter was also shared with People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) office-bearers. However, he reported that he has received no response from any of the officials or civil rights forums to date.

The migrants reportedly hail from a West Bengal constituency represented by Trinamool Congress MLA Rekha Roy. Islam said he attempted to reach her through her husband, Nukul Dada, who he alleges dismissed the concern and ended the call abruptly.

Notably, Islam criticized Indian Muslim organizations for their silence. "These groups are often vocal about issues like Shariat, triple talaq and purdah, but are nowhere to be seen when poor, devout Muslims are being hunted like criminals,” he said.

Some assistance has come from the West Bengal chapter of the CPM. According to Dr. Fuad Halim, Ashadullah Gayen of the party’s Migrant Workers Union is trying to help verify the detainees’ Aadhaar details through District Magistrates. However, Islam noted that the process is slow and complicated, and requires urgent logistical support.

To address the crisis, Islam has appealed for:

1. Bengali-speaking volunteers with smartphones to help process and send documentation.

2. Women volunteers to assist the families of detainees.

3. Legal professionals willing to provide counsel and aid on the ground.

“This is a humanitarian crisis unfolding in silence,” Islam concluded. “Even the most basic civil and legal protections seem suspended for these workers. If this does not move our conscience, what will?”