A 50-year-old farmer from Cooch Behar district has written to the district magistrate seeking help in proving his citizenship after being suspected as an illegal immigrant by a Foreigners' Tribunal in Assam's Kamrup — a place he claims he has never visited in his life.

"I am so poor that I never even left Cooch Behar," said Uttam Kumar Brajabashi, a resident of Sadialer Kuthi village under Sahebganj police station area in Cooch Behar. "I am shocked that the Assam tribunal claims I entered that state as an illegal immigrant. I tried to resolve the issue with the help of a lawyer, but the tribunal has given me a deadline of July 15 to prove my citizenship."

In the notice, Brajabashi has been informed that he entered Assam without any valid document during "1.1.1966 to 24.03.1971".

"....Reference reveals that you could not produce any valid document before the police during enquiry/verification regarding your Indian citizenship within the stipulated period of time," the letter reads. It adds: "...you are suspected to be an illegal immigrant."

The issue immediately gained political traction, with the ruling Trinamool taking it up and accusing the BJP of using the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to harass legitimate Indian citizens living in Bengal.

The Trinamool leadership also linked the incident to the proposed special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, which they claim is a tool to harass Bengalis ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

"It's a full-blown war on Bengalis. A CULTURAL PURGE designed by a party that simply can't stomach rejection. They lost Bengal. Now they want REVENGE," read a post from Trinamool's official social media handle.

According to the farmer, he received the notice earlier this year but didn’t understand what it was as it came from Assam.

"After speaking to several people, including advocates, I learned that this is an NRC notice. My father and grandfather were born in Cooch Behar. How can I be called an illegal immigrant now?" asked Brajabashi.

The document, dated November 2024, was issued by a member of the Foreigners' Tribunal and served to Brajabasi by Cooch Behar police in January this year.

Brajabashi appointed a lawyer who went to Assam and submitted documents proving that he was a permanent resident of the Cooch Behar district.

"The Assam court has given me a deadline of July 15 this year to prove my citizenship. That’s why I approached the district magistrate for help," said the farmer.

Arvind Kumar Meena, the district magistrate of Cooch Behar, told The Telegraph that his office will soon communicate with its counterpart in Assam, submitting documents to establish Brajabashi's ancestral home in Bengal. "We have prepared all necessary documents, including certified copies of the electoral roll from the 1960s," he said.

“These (documents) prove that Brajabashi is a resident of this district. We will also send a letter to the Assam district authorities, making it clear that he cannot be an illegal immigrant. The administration stands with Brajabashi,” Meena added.

Dinhata block II BDO Nitish Tamang went to Brajabashi’s house on Monday evening but the farmer was not at home. Tamang said that the administration would provide all possible help to Brajabashi. The BDO has left instructions for the farmer to meet him on Tuesday.

A Trinamool source said the party and the Bengal government were viewing the notice to Brajabasi as a serious tool being used to target Bengalis — especially against the backdrop of recent complaints about Bengali-speaking migrant workers being deported to Bangladesh on suspicion of being foreign nationals.

Samirul Islam, the Trinamool Rajya Sabha member handling deportation-related issues involving migrant workers, said the party would approach the court if the Assam government takes any further steps against the Cooch Behar resident.

“We are shocked that the Assam government could issue an NRC notice to a Bengal resident who has never even visited the neighbouring state. We believe this is a ploy against Bengalis ahead of the elections. The BJP is using all possible means to harass Bengalis,” said Islam.

Debjit Sarkar, a BJP spokesperson, claimed it was the Bengal government that provided incorrect data to the Assam government during inquiries regarding illegal immigrants, as there were many in bordering districts who had their homes in Assam.

“Our people are suffering because of the Bengal government’s errors. We suspect it was Trinamool which supplied wrong data about individuals when Assam authorities requested details...,”said Sarkar.