Washington, DC: Senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde has sharply criticized the Assam government’s deportations of Bengali-speaking Muslims, calling the actions “absolutely illegal” and “inhumane.” He warned that such measures threaten to redefine Indian citizenship along religious and linguistic lines.
Speaking at a virtual Congressional Briefing in Washington, Hegde said, “You cannot decide citizenship arbitrarily only on the basis of a person’s religion or on the basis of the language that you speak. This infection has carried on from Assam to various states in India.”
Assam has seen an aggressive campaign of evictions in recent months. According to reports, about 3,400 homes were demolished in July across five operations. These demolitions were accompanied by 18 hate speech rallies in which Muslims were branded as “infiltrators.” Several of these events were attended by ruling party leaders.
Hegde argued that such propaganda has hardened public attitudes. “The average mind believes that anybody who speaks Bengali and who is a Muslim is more likely to be Bangladeshi and less likely to be Indian,” he said.
He described the situation as dire, pointing out that many people have been declared non-citizens through legal processes, yet no other country accepts them. He accused the Assam government of trying to “physically push them back across the border with Bangladesh” as elections approach.
Rejecting the government’s use of the term “pushback,” Hegde said the practice amounts to “forcible throwback.” He emphasized that those targeted were born in India, know no other country, and lack documents to prove their citizenship. “What is happening has no warrant in law,” he declared.
The briefing was co-sponsored by several rights groups, including the Indian American Muslim Council, Hindus for Human Rights, and Genocide Watch.
