– Mohd. Naushad Khan
In a dramatic development, 150 Bengali-speaking migrant workers were released from a detention centre in Gurugram, Haryana. They were mostly from Malda and Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal, and Dhubri in Assam. The release followed strong political pressure and condemnation of their illegal arrest.
The Gurugram Police had picked them up, suspecting they were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. This was despite the fact that all of them had valid Aadhaar and voter ID cards. They were then held in a detention facility, sparking widespread outrage.
Congress MP Isha Khan Choudhury from Malda South led the charge for their release. He called the arrests a “direct violation” of civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Referring to Article 19, he reminded authorities that citizens have the right to live and work anywhere in India, regardless of language or ethnicity.
“These workers were legally employed and had valid documents,” he said. “Yet, they were detained just because they spoke Bengali. That’s unconstitutional.”
Choudhury had earlier informed Gurugram officials about his plan to visit the detention centre. He was joined in this effort by Rabiqul Hossain, Congress MP from Dhubri. The workers were released one day before the MPs’ scheduled visit. Choudhury called this a “victory for the Constitution and every citizen’s dignity.”
Formal appeals were also submitted. Letters were sent to the Chief Minister of Haryana, the Chief Secretary, the Joint Commissioner of Police, and the DCP of Gurugram (East Zone), demanding the workers’ release.
Choudhury said he had a heated argument with the police. He challenged them to produce a written order from either the state or central government. “They had no such order,” he stated.
He described the incident as a “fight for honour and constitutional values.” he pledged to continue opposing discrimination based on language, religion, or region. “This is bigger than one group of workers. It’s about what kind of country we want—one that follows the Constitution, or one that targets its own people,” he said.
Now back with their families, the workers’ release sends a strong message. It highlights the misuse of power and the urgent need for accountability in dealing with internal migration and identity in India.
