KOLKATA: India has deported nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in West Bengal last month, according to official statistics. On taking power, the new West Bengal government ordered the establishment of detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees.
Deportation of Undocumented Immigrants
State Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, speaking in the capital Kolkata on Sunday, said nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens had been deported across the border. "We have started the work of deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators who do not fall under the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act," Adhikari said, adding that the government had "established holding centres in all districts of the state" in May.
The move marks a significant shift in policy following the BJP's electoral victory in West Bengal, a state that shares a long border with Bangladesh. The new administration has prioritized the identification and removal of undocumented immigrants, a key campaign promise during the elections.
Detention Centres Established
The detention centres, also referred to as holding centres, are designed to temporarily house individuals awaiting deportation. The government has set up these facilities across all districts to streamline the process. Officials have not disclosed the exact number of centres or their capacities, but the initiative signals a tougher stance on illegal immigration.
Critics have raised concerns about the humanitarian impact of these deportations, particularly for families who may have lived in India for years. However, the state government maintains that it is acting within the legal framework and targeting only those who do not qualify for protection under the Citizenship Amendment Act, which grants citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from neighboring countries.
