The Odisha Opposition has condemned the mob attacks on Bengali speakers in the state, carried out apparently on suspicion of their being Bangladeshis, and accused the ruling BJP of complicity.
While the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress have maintained that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands, the BJP said that Bangladeshis must be identified and driven out of Odisha.
Rahul Islam, a 24-year-old winterwear seller from Murshidabad, has alleged he was branded a Bangladeshi and beaten up by a mob in Odisha’s Ganjam district on November 24 after he refused to chant “Jai Shri Ram”.
Rahul eventually complied when the mob threatened to set him on fire. He says two of his fellow winter-garment sellers from Bengal, too, were beaten up by mobs in Odisha on November 25 and 26.
“Bangladesh citizens illegally residing in Odisha should be sent back to their country… in keeping with proper protocol,” BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said.
“However, it’s the duty of both the Odisha and Bengal (governments) to sit down together and sort out the illegal Bangladeshi issue.
“Let the law take its own course, but any form of violence against individuals who are Indians, with valid identity (documents), denigrates the ideals laid down in our
Constitution.”
Muslim traders and migrant workers from Bengal have faced serial police detentions in Odisha — despite producing what were later established as genuine identity documents — and mob attacks this year.
Mohanty urged “mutual restraint” from both states “so that violence is not provoked”.
“Besides the chief ministers, the directors-general of police of both the states should set a protocol and ensure that it is implemented,” he said.
He underlined that “such incidents were not happening in our state earlier”, indirectly pointing a finger at the BJP that came to power in Odisha last year.
State BJP vice-president Golak Mohapatra said: “No one should take the law into their own hands…. But those talking big about adherence to laws have not done so themselves. Had they taken a tough stance on the issue of Bangladeshi immigrants, such incidents would not have happened.”
He added: “No one has a problem with workers coming from Bengal to work here. They do come during the Durga Puja. But we have a problem with Bangladeshis posing as (Indian) Bengalis. They possess fake ID cards. This should be exposed. Sometimes, untoward incidents take place.”
Senior CPM leader Janardan Pati condemned the attack on “street vendors” by “antisocial elements organised under the banner of BJP-RSS”.
“After the BJP came to power in Odisha, these elements have been active with the support of the police and the state,” he said.
“Instead of taking action, the police are supporting or defending the criminals… who are attacking poor and innocent minorities struggling to earn their livelihood.”
State Congress spokesperson Amiya Pandav castigated the “shameful act of hooliganism” on “innocent vendors”.
“These self-proclaimed Rashtra Bhaktas don’t know the minimum difference between Bangladeshi and Banglabhasi,” he said.
“Such incidents will hamper our relationship with neighbouring states and have an adverse effect on our own people residing outside the state.”
Inspector-general of police (southern range) Niti Shekhar told this correspondent: “Let me inquire into the issue. I will get back to you.”