NEW DELHI — The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has flagged a disturbing pattern of mass detentions, forced removals, and deportations of Bengali-speaking Muslims across multiple states —including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Odisha, Assam, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
The APCR advocates for the changes in policies and practice which endanger the basic human rights of the people. It also provides pro bono legal service to marginalised people to enhance their access to justice and reinforce rule of law.
The APCR report titled ‘Branded as Bangladeshis’ documents how between May and July 2025 thousands of individuals, many of them Indian citizens with valid Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and other proof of residence, were arbitrarily labeled as “illegal Bangladeshi immigrants” and subjected to unlawful detention and deportation.
The report said Human Rights Watch and civil society groups have flagged that over 1,500 people may have been targeted. “Several were picked up in midnight raids, denied legal aid, and held in makeshift detention camps under inhumane conditions. In Delhi, Pune, and Gurugram, even children and war veterans were not spared. In some cases, individuals were forcibly pushed across the Bangladesh border without any legal process”, the report said.
This crackdown appears to be driven more by religious and linguistic profiling than by genuine concerns about illegal immigration. Most of those targeted were poor Bengali-speaking Muslims, many of whom were Indian citizens. The report also suggests that these actions may be politically motivated, aimed at creating fear and division ahead of state elections. The situation raises serious concerns about violations of constitutional rights and basic human dignity, and it calls for immediate attention and oversight.
