Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Senior Congress leader and former MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has sought the intervention of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure the safety and security of immigrant Muslim labourers from West Bengal working in the state. In a letter written to CM Majhi on Monday, Chowdhury stated that a large number of Bengalis, mainly from the minority Muslim community, work as migrant labourers in several parts of Odisha. The senior congress leader further added that the unfortunate terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the loss of lives of several innocent civilians, has completely shaken the security apparatus in the country.
The Police Forces of all the states have launched an initiative to identify illegal Bangladeshi migrants living in the Country.
“While it is a necessity to identify and deport the illegals, very unfortunately, the current drive is having a negative effect on the lives and livelihood of a large section of the population, which is not only innocent but also poor and helpless,” wrote Chowdhury.
He said that a great number of Muslims who speak Bengali, especially those who reside outside of West Bengal, including Odisha, and depend on them for their livelihood, are being singled out, harassed, tortured, and threatened with deportation. Additionally, he asserted that the workers, who are primarily from lower socioeconomic groups, bear the brunt of police abuses in the ongoing effort to track down illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
“I have been continuously receiving reports of the innocent and poor Bengali-speaking people being targeted and tortured to no end on the question of their Nationality. I would, therefore, request you to take every possible measure to ensure that the innocent Bengali speaking people, whether of the majority or minority community, and are bonafide Indian nationals working as labourers in Odisha, are not subjected to harassment, humiliation, torture and possible loss of livelihood. Looking ahead for your kind intervention in ensuring that the interests of the innocent Bengali speaking people living in Odisha, who are Bonafide citizens of the Country, are protected” alleged Chowdhury.
