Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – The police arrested around 19 individuals and summoned tens of hundreds of Muslims with their documents for the investigation after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya claimed that four thousand illegal immigrant Rohingyas and Bangladeshis are living in Malegaon of Maharashtra.
Soon after Somaiya levelled the allegations about the Muslim-dominated Malegaon in Nashik district in January, Devendra Fadnavis-led government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter.
Speaking to Clarion India, Supreme Court advocate Shahid Nadeem, who is also a resident of Malegaon, said that every day, around 200 people are summoned for the investigation. His parents were also summoned by the SIT for the document verification and the inquiry and let go after the thorough probe.
“During the investigation, SIT did not get any illegal immigrant Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. However, they started holding the Indians over the allegation of forging documents. A lawyer and two women are among those held by the police,” Nadeem told Clarion India.
According to the Supreme Court advocate, the SIT is serving notices to all those who have applied for the documents in the last 2-3 years asking them to verify their documents.
“Everyone is facing trouble due to this investigation. We were living here for generations but we are forced to verify our documents. Two women arrested because they were from Uttar Pradesh but acquired the birth certificates from Malegaon. You can cancel their certificates and slap fines. How can you call them “immigrants”. They are definitely Indians. They have nothing to do with Rohingyas and Bangladeshis,” said Nadeem.
He pointed out that if the documents are being forged by someone, it’s the authorities which should be held accountable for issuing forged certificates. “Why did the authorities not scrutinise the documents? Why did they issue certificates blindly? It’s the failure of the government,” he said.
“The officials are involved in the larger conspiracy. It’s government officials who are involved in corruption if any. The government is holding the poor people instead of the officials. Tehsildar, who issued certificates, was suspended but not made an accused in the case. The officials who are involved should be held accountable,” said Nadeem.
Locals believe that the crackdown on the people of Malegaon is a result of Congress candidate Sobha Bachav’s victory from the Dhule constituency, where Malegaon falls. Bachav won against the BJP candidate with 3000 votes. Interestingly, Somaiya made the allegations of four thousand of illegal immigrants.
According to The Wire, local Muslim leaders urged the Congress MP to raise the issue in the parliament but she avoided it.
Somaiya targeted not only Malegaon but also other areas which has significant Muslim population in the state. He had claimed that more than 1.50 lakh illegal Bangladeshi immigrants procured fake documents for Indian citizenship in Maharashtra in 2024. The BJP leader mentioned Bhiwandi, another Muslim-dominated area, along with Malegaon.
On 19 February, Somaiya took to social media to announce that nine FIRs were registered across Maharashtra in cases related to alleged fake birth certificates. He visited Amravati, Akola and Patur for filing these FIRs.
Nadeem said the police action in Malegaon has caused fear and distress among the local people as they can be arrested on the minor issues.
“People are fully cooperating. They are responding to the notices. But this is wrong as you are harassing the innocent people. The police could not find a single illegal immigrant which are you finding. Why are you harassing other people,” he said.
He expressed amazement that the police started taking action even before SIT have submitted its report and concluded its inquiry regarding the issue.
