Kolkata, July 3: West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant has expressed strong concern over alleged harassment faced by Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Odisha. In a letter addressed to Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on Thursday, Pant highlighted reports of labourers being wrongfully identified as Bangladeshi nationals based solely on their language.
“I write to you with deep anguish and serious concern regarding the continued harassment of West Bengal residents working in various parts of Odisha,” Pant stated in his letter. He noted that many of these individuals — including daily wage earners, rickshaw pullers, domestic workers, and long-settled families — have significantly contributed to Odisha’s economy and society.
The West Bengal government has reportedly received alarming inputs indicating that workers are being unfairly targeted simply because they speak Bengali, with some being labeled as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. “Such sweeping and baseless generalisations are discriminatory and deeply offensive to individuals who are lawful Indian citizens,” the letter added.
Pant further alleged that in districts like Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Malkangiri, Balasore, and Cuttack, several people have been detained without proper legal procedure. He raised concerns that even when the affected individuals present valid identification such as Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, ration cards, electricity bills, or Public Distribution System (PDS) documents, their claims are often disregarded.
“What is particularly troubling is the reported demand for ancestral land records going back multiple generations — an impractical and unjust requirement for migrant labourers,” Pant wrote.
He also cited cases where verification reports issued by competent authorities in West Bengal confirming the individuals’ citizenship have been ignored.
Calling for immediate action, Pant urged the Odisha government to adopt a humanitarian and sensitive approach to the issue. “No citizen must be subjected to arbitrary detention or harassment due to their language or regional background,” he appealed.
