West Bengal Migrants Welfare Board received 1,143 complaints of harassment in 10 months: Official

Kolkata, Dec 29 (PTI) West Bengal Migrants Welfare Board has received 1,143 complaints of harassment against Bengali-speaking migrants in the past 10 months, chairman Samirul Islam said on Monday, amid allegations of mistreatment in BJP-ruled states. All complaints have been attended to by the board, he added.

Addressing a press conference, Islam, also a Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP, said while around 1.3 crore migrant workers from outside Bengal are safe in the state, nearly 30 lakh Bengali migrants working in informal sectors across the country have faced harassment in several BJP-ruled states.

"From threat, assaults to physical and verbal abuses and rampage of property, the board has received 1,143 physical and mental harassment complaints. Around 95 people were detained for speaking in Bengali in BJP-ruled states under suspicion of being Bangladeshis but everyone among them turned out to be Indians," Islam said.

Islam added that two other migrants were lynched in Odisha and another BJP-ruled state, while a third had an ear chopped off.

"Migration is a continuing process. People are free to go for jobs anywhere in the country. Most of these labourers belong to the unorganised sector. Such attacks are an affront to our federal structure and cannot be tolerated," he said, adding that he has been flagging the issue since March.

Stating 38 per cent of population in the country are migrants, he said, "Migration is not a crime. If someone is confirmed as a Bangladeshi infiltrator, legal action must be initiated. Has there been any attempt to verify the documents carried by the victims of anti-Bengali campaign in BJP-ruled states? The answer is no. How can someone be beaten by mere suspicion." The board has assisted all 1,143 migrants, providing legal aid or bringing them back to West Bengal, including 546 from Odisha, 236 from Haryana, 110 from Rajasthan, and 62 from Maharashtra, Islam said.

Contrary to BJP claims, Islam said most of the harassed Bengali-speaking migrants are not only Muslims, but also belong to Hindu communities such as backward caste Matuas and Rajbangshis.

"This reveals the anti-Bengali mindset of the double-engine government. Two detained Bengali Hindus from north Bengal, from BJP minister Sukanta Majumdar’s constituency, were freed through TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s intervention," he added.

"So whichever party a Bengali-speaking migrant belongs to, whichever religion he follows, does not matter. We must counter this anti--Bengal mindset of the BJP leadership at the Centre and other states. It is a pity the Bengal BJP leaders don't have the guts to speak out," he added.

On migrants’ welfare, Islam said West Bengal has set up a helpline (1800-103-0009) and a WhatsApp number (7603091122) for assistance related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

He further added that the board is assessing vacancies and wages for migrants both within the state and those returning from other states.

"We have sent SMS to the registered mobile numbers of migrants working outside state offering help related to SIR. Our legal cell and nodal officer are there for any queries," Islam added. PTI SUS MNB