Rising Discrimination Against Muslims in India: Mass Deportation
of Bengalis Exposes Serious Human Rights Violations

Human
Rights Watch has revealed that Indian authorities have forcibly deported
hundreds of Bengali Muslims to Bangladesh in recent weeks, in a blatant
violation of legal safeguards and due process, under the pretext of
“combating irregular migration.”

The
organization noted that among those deported were Indian citizens from states
bordering Bangladesh — a dangerous indicator of escalating religious and ethnic
discrimination against the Muslim community within India.

Since
May 2025, the Indian government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP), has intensified mass expulsions, targeting in particular poor
Bengali-speaking migrant workers.

Human
Rights Watch documented harrowing testimonies from deportees who reported being
beaten and threatened while in custody, and being forcibly pushed across the
border — despite some of them presenting documents proving their Indian
citizenship.

According
to reports from the Bangladeshi Border Guard, more than 1,500 men, women, and
children were expelled between May 7 and June 15, including around 100 Rohingya
refugees — a clear violation of the principle of non-refoulement, which
prohibits returning individuals to places where they may face danger.

The
organization stated that authorities in the states of Assam, Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and Rajasthan have carried out intensive
campaigns targeting Bengali Muslims — most of them impoverished migrant workers
— and expelled them without thorough investigations into their legal status.

Human
rights groups have condemned the lack of transparency and the blatant violation
of both domestic and international human rights standards. They warned that
such measures legitimize discrimination and exclusion under security and
political pretenses, putting thousands of lives at risk and undermining India’s
historic reputation as a protector of refugees and persecuted minorities.

Human
Rights Watch and other advocacy groups have called on Indian authorities to
immediately halt forced deportations and to ensure the right to appeal and
access to legal protections, especially for the most vulnerable groups —
including women, children, the elderly, and refugees.

(Source:
Agencies)

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