BHUBANESWAR: A political row has erupted between Odisha and West Bengal after TMC MP Mahua Moitra threatened to drag Odisha police, particularly the DGP and SP, Nayagarh, to court over asking four Bengali-speaking persons to leave the district as they were suspected of being Bangladeshi infiltrators.
Posting a video on her X handle, Moitra claimed that the four persons are from Murshidabad district of West Bengal and had been eking out a living in Nayagarh district for the last 18 years by trading winter garments.
In her message to the DGP, Moitra said, “Sir, you have absolutely no right to throw out Bengalis working in Odisha under mere suspicion of being Bangaladeshis. This is against fundamental principles of the constitution. They are poor people working in the districts for a livelihood and your police asked them to leave despite they having all proofs of Indian citizens like Aadhaar card and voter I-card.”
Cautioning the DGP of similar retaliatory action by West Bengal government, the TMC MP said, “Lakhs of Odias are working as cooks, gardeners, plumbers and other works in Bengal. If Bengal government starts doing the same what you are doing, imagine where we end up.”
In a separate post for Nayagarh SP, she said, “Pressurised landlord to throw them out, threatened arrest, inspite of @SPMurshidabad verifying workers. This is illegal & in violation of our constitution. Am taking you to court so get ready.”
Moitra’s remarks drew sharp reactions from the ruling BJP in the state with Revenue minister Suresh Pujari calling them “misguided and inflammatory” without knowing the facts. State BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said the government is determined to remove all illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators and accordingly the state police is effectively carrying out its duty.