TV
The Mohan Majhi-led Odisha government has directed all district Collectors and SPs to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators.
It is said that Bangladeshis account for 90 per cent of the population at Talachua, Rangani, Gupti, Dangamal, Bhitarkanika, Gahirmatha, Ahirajpur, Amarabati, Kanaknagar, Jambu, Kharnasi, Batighar, Pitapata etc. of Mahakalpada and Rajnagar areas in Kendrapara district.
In 2004, a total of 1551 Bangladeshi infiltrators were identified and were served with deportation notices.
While the notice has been lying in cold storage for the last 20 years, the BJP government’s move left the locals a happy lot.
“The state government in its letter has asked the district administration to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators. Only identification will serve no purpose. The decision should also be taken as to what to do with them as India is not an inn,” said a Kendrapara resident.
“We are welcoming this move. Proper identification should be done,” said Rani Haldar, a Bangladeshi refugee.
When contacted, Kendrapara SP Siddharth Kataraia said, “All the IICs, specifically of Jambu, Marine, Talachua and Tantiapal police stations have been asked to do a proper inquiry by tallying the previous record. No report has been received as the process is underway.”
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In 2021, a total of 3,740 Bangladeshi infiltrators were identified in Odisha. They were living in Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Bargarh and Bhubaneswar. It has been alleged that due to porous coast and loose marine police stations, their number is increasing.
Meanwhile, the politics has started to heat up over the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators.
“The government is serious about the infiltrators. If any incident is reported, strict action will be taken,’ said BJP MLA Durgaprasanna Nayak.
BJD MLA Kalikesh Singhdeo said, “If people from West Bengal, Bihar and Assam who are eking out their living here are harassed in the name of identification, it would be meaningless.”
Congress MLA SC Rajan Ekka said, “The infiltrators should be identified and subsequently deported. We welcome this. But we oppose the harassment meted out to our own people by branding them as Bangladeshis.”
