The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant interim relief in a public interest petition alleging that individuals are being harassed and detained across India merely on suspicion of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, often based solely on speaking Bengali.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Jaymalya Bagchi observed that issuing an interim order could unintentionally affect those who have legally entered India from Bangladesh with valid documents. The court, however, agreed to hear the matter in detail and directed the Centre and concerned states to submit affidavits stating their position before the next hearing on August 25.
The petition, filed by the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board, highlights incidents in states such as Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, where suspected illegal migrants have been rounded up in recent months. According to the petition, many Indian citizens — especially migrant workers from West Bengal — have been detained or questioned simply for speaking Bengali or possessing documents in the language.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners, told the court that these detentions are happening while identity verification is still underway and, in some cases, detainees have even faced mistreatment by police. He urged the court to direct authorities to halt such detentions during the investigation process.
The bench responded that states do have the right to verify the identity of workers within their jurisdiction, but stopped short of halting ongoing operations against suspected illegal immigrants.
Speaking after the hearing, Samirul Islam — chairperson of the Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board and a Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP — vowed to continue the legal battle. “We will fight till our last breath to secure justice for Bengali-speaking people. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, we will resist all attempts to target our community. This country belongs to everyone, and our rights are equal,” he said.
