Mahua Moitra issues threat to Odisha Govt over detained Bengali workers!

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra issued a sharp warning on Wednesday to the Odisha Government over the detention of more than 400 workers from West Bengal, including over 20 from her constituency, in Jharsuguda district of the State.

In a video statement, parliamentarian Moitra demanded the immediate release of the detained workers, threatening consequences for Odisha tourism.

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According to sources, the TMC leader from neighbouring West Bengal strongly criticised the Odisha government, in a dramatic escalation, over the detention of 421 Bengali workers in Jharsuguda district, of which 23 workers are from the Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district represented by the TMC leader.

In the video message, the West Bengal MP alleged that the workers have been illegally detained by cops from Orient Police Station in Jharsuguda. She accused the authorities of wrongfully confining the labourers and warned of serious consequences if the matter is not resolved promptly.

Taking to her personal X handle, the MP wrote, “23 workers from Nadia are being held in illegal detention in Jharsuguda. I urge @SecyChief, @DGPOdisha to release immediately. Never happened in 24 years of @Naveen_Odisha, and now it is a daily occurrence. Do not think there is no one to fight for these workers.”

“Among these 421 workers, 23 are from my constituency, and they have been unlawfully detained, and it is unacceptable,” Moitra emphasised in the video.

Moitra didn’t stop at raising a formal appeal. She threatened that tourism from Bengal to Odisha could be impacted if the detained workers are not released quickly. “If you detain our workers, our tourists won’t go either,” she stated.

This public statement has sparked political ripples across both states, drawing attention to inter-state labour rights and administrative transparency.

Meanwhile, Northern Range IGP Himanshu Lal stated, “About 444 suspected persons have been detained and kept in Holding Centres by the police, and a verification process is still underway to identify illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. I and the SP (Superintendent of Police, Jharsuguda) are thoroughly monitoring the process.”

“Actions will be taken as per the law against those persons who will be found to be illegally residing here (Jharsuguda),” Northern Range IGP Lal said to mediapersons.