New Delhi: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised serious concerns over the unlawful expulsion of hundreds of ethnic Bengali Muslims, many of whom are Indian citizens, to Bangladesh by Indian authorities in recent weeks. The international rights group said these actions were carried out without due legal process, under the pretext of controlling illegal immigration.
Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at HRW, strongly condemned the deportations, stating, “India’s ruling BJP is fueling discrimination by arbitrarily expelling Bengali Muslims from the country, including Indian citizens. The authorities’ claims that they are tackling irregular immigration fall flat in the face of blatant disregard for due process, constitutional rights, and international human rights standards.”
According to HRW, the deportations have primarily taken place in BJP-governed states such as Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and Rajasthan. Most of those targeted are impoverished Muslim migrant workers who were allegedly rounded up, handed over to border officials, and in some instances, beaten or threatened to force them across the Bangladesh border—often without any proper verification of their citizenship.
Between May 7 and June 15, Bangladesh’s border authorities reported that over 1,500 Muslim men, women, and children were expelled by India, including around 100 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. HRW also reported that many Indian citizens were wrongfully deported and later had to be readmitted after proving their nationality.
Despite HRW sending its findings to the Ministry of Home Affairs on July 8, the Indian government has yet to respond or provide official figures on the expulsions.
In one alarming incident reported by the United Nations, 40 Rohingya refugees were allegedly forced into the sea by Indian authorities near the Myanmar coast, equipped only with life jackets. UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews condemned the act as “an affront to human decency” and a violation of international law, specifically the principle of nonrefoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to a place where their lives or freedoms are at risk.
Adding to the controversy, the Supreme Court of India earlier in May refused to halt the deportation of Rohingya refugees, stating that those deemed foreigners under Indian law must be deported. When confronted with the UN’s account of Rohingyas forced into the sea, the court dismissed it as “a beautifully crafted story” lacking evidence.
HRW argues that the deportations form part of a broader discriminatory policy targeting Muslims. “The Indian government is putting thousands of vulnerable people at risk in pursuit of unauthorized immigrants, but their actions reflect a deeper pattern of bias against Muslims,” Pearson added. “This is undermining India’s legacy as a sanctuary for the persecuted.”
The actions have drawn political criticism as well. The Chief Minister of West Bengal condemned the move, asking, “Is speaking Bengali a crime now? By doing this, you are maligning every Bengali-speaking citizen.”
As global criticism mounts, HRW has called on the Indian government to halt all deportations without due process and to ensure that proper legal safeguards are in place for all individuals, regardless of religion or ethnicity.
