An alarming and targeted crackdown is currently underway in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad and Surat, where over 1,000 members of the Muslim community have been arbitrarily detained under the pretext of being “illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.” People are being indiscriminately picked up from working-class neighbourhoods, particularly those who speak Bengali and are Muslims, and are capriciously labelled as “Bangladeshi” without any verification. Their documents are being sent for “confirmation” only after the detentions, with some being paraded through the streets—turning the principle of due process of justice on its head. Furthermore, without any legal process or prior notice, hundreds of homes in working-class and Muslim majority areas in Ahmedabad and Surat are being demolished, rendering families homeless leaving them on the streets.
This is nothing but a witch-hunt, driven by Islamophobic motives, aimed squarely at vilifying Bengali-speaking Muslims. These actions are not isolated; they are part of a larger BJP-Sangh-driven campaign of communal polarisation across the country, particularly following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
In the face of this ongoing massive repression, the All India Agricultural & Rural Labour Association (AIARLA) has opened a support helpline for migrant workers from West Bengal who are facing harassment in other states. Those in need of assistance can contact the following numbers: 9062200880; 7001086323
CPI(ML) calls upon all democratic and secular voices to stand united against this vilification campaign and demand an end to the ongoing large-scale repression of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Gujarat and elsewhere.
