Despite claims of legality, Assam’s BJP-led government is accused of targeting poor Muslim citizens under the guise of expelling foreigners. Human rights activists say over 90% of the affected are innocent
Mohammad Bin Ismail
NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI – The BJP-led Assam government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is facing mounting criticism over its controversial ‘Operation Pushback’, in which hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims are being labelled as illegal immigrants and forcibly deported to Bangladesh. Human rights groups, legal experts and concerned citizens say the operation is unjust and designed to target poor Muslims who are unable to defend themselves in court.
Since May, 303 people have been expelled from India and sent to Bangladesh, according to official figures. The government claims these individuals were identified as ‘foreigners’ by the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam. But social workers and legal experts insist that many of those deported are genuine Indian citizens, declared “D-Voters” — or Doubtful Voters — merely based on suspicion, not proof.
“This entire pushback process is inhuman and clearly targets Muslims. People are being thrown across the border like cattle, without any fair hearing or proper legal support,” said Aman Wadud, a senior lawyer and social activist based in Guwahati. Wadud has represented many clients in citizenship cases.
A local social worker, who asked not to be named due to fear of reprisal, said, “Out of the 30,000 people declared ‘foreigners’, more than 90 percent are Bengali-speaking Muslims. We all know what is happening here – it is not about illegal immigration, it is about removing Muslims from Assam.”
He added, “There is no voice for us. If anyone speaks up, they are threatened. That is why we are scared.”
Many families have reportedly lived in Assam for generations, owning land and having government documents, but are still being declared foreigners. The fear among Muslims in border districts is growing with each passing day.
Chief Minister Sarma defended the operation in the state assembly. “We have pushed back 303 people, but now this process will be accelerated so that the state and its resources can be saved from such ‘foreign intruders’.”
He claimed the action was being taken in response to the Supreme Court’s February directive questioning why the Assam government had not yet deported declared foreigners.
My son was born here, married here, worked here. He had Aadhaar card, a voter ID, everything. But they still called him a foreigner and took him away. I don’t even know if he’s alive now
However, critics argue that the way the government is implementing this order is arbitrary and dangerous. “The court never said to expel people without checking their appeals or giving them proper legal rights. Four people had to be brought back because their appeals were still pending. This proves that mistakes are being made,” said Aman Wadud.
He added, “If four people were brought back, how many more were wrongly deported and are now stuck in Bangladesh without identity or support?”
The operation involves pushing people into ‘no man’s land’ along the India-Bangladesh border. Assam shares a 260-km-long international border with Bangladesh. Victims of the operation are often taken in police vans, dropped near the border, and told to cross over.
“They are pushed like sheep and goats, with no concern for their lives or families. Some have children, wives, and elderly parents in Assam. They are just discarded,” said another activist who works near the Dhubri border region.
A woman in her 50s, whose son was deported last month, said, “My son was born here, married here, worked here. He had Aadhaar card, a voter ID, everything. But they still called him a foreigner and took him away. I don’t even know if he’s alive now.”
Most of the people targeted in this operation are extremely poor. They cannot afford lawyers or travel to higher courts to fight the Foreigners Tribunal’s decisions.
“This is a deliberate policy – they are chosen because they are weak and voiceless. If this was really about illegal immigration, there would have been fair checks for all communities. But only Muslims are picked,” said the anonymous social worker.
He continued, “We see it clearly – the aim is to change the demography by making Muslims disappear.”
Despite the seriousness of the issue, there is little noise in political circles. Most parties and leaders are silent. Many fear backlash from the government and possible violence from hardline Hindu groups if they speak in defence of Muslims.
“There is a lot of fear. Even social workers are being followed and threatened. They want to make it impossible for anyone to help us,” said the activist.
The government of Bangladesh has not officially reacted to the issue yet. Foreign Affairs Advisor Tauheed Hussain told journalists last week that “people from India are being sent to Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi government is in touch with New Delhi on this matter.”
His vague statement suggests diplomatic caution. But sources say Dhaka is unhappy about receiving people it cannot identify as its citizens.
“It is wrong on every level. These people are not Bangladeshi. How can one country just push poor people into another country? It violates all international norms and laws,” said a legal scholar from Delhi University, requesting anonymity.
Analysts believe that the Assam government’s actions are part of a bigger political strategy to polarise voters by creating a fear of Muslims and portraying them as outsiders.
“What we are seeing is not governance, it is a political project. They are trying to make Bengali-speaking Muslims look like a threat, and this helps the ruling party gain support from Assamese and Hindu voters,” said a political analyst from Gauhati University.
He added, “It is easier to blame the poor than to fix real issues. So, they target the weakest.”
The situation has created a wave of anxiety among Muslim youth in Assam. Many feel hopeless and rejected in their own land.
Rafique Ahmed, a 24-year-old from Goalpara district, said, “I was born here. My father was born here. We have all our documents. But they still call us Bangladeshis. What more do we need to prove? This is our country too.”
He paused and added, “We just want to live peacefully and with dignity, but they are treating us like enemies.”
Several rights groups are now urging national and international human rights organisations to take notice. They are asking the courts to stop the deportations until fair hearings and appeals are guaranteed.
“We are not against identifying real illegal immigrants. But don’t use that as an excuse to punish innocent citizens. Give them lawyers, give them hearings, give them a chance,” said Aman Wadud.
Photo courtesy: The Indian Express
