Indian Media Speaks Out on Harassment of Bengali Speakers

Following recent political unrest in Bangladesh, India’s Election Commission has launched a “Special Intensive Revision” of the electoral roll aimed at removing fake names and identifying illegal immigrants. However, reports from several states allege that Bengali-speaking residents of West Bengal are being detained and harassed on suspicion of being Bangladeshi, sparking intense controversy. Such incidents have been reported from Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, and other states. In many cases, individuals with valid Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and ration cards are allegedly being singled out purely on the basis of language.