As Bihar gears up for its high-stakes elections, political rhetoric is reaching fever pitch, with allegations and counter-allegations dominating the discourse. At the center of the controversy is the claim of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the state. Now, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has hit back at PM Modi’s remark of Bangladeshi immigrants, dismissing the allegations and taking a pointed swipe at national leadership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intensified the focus on this issue during a rally in Purnea last week, accusing the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of sheltering “infiltrators” in Bihar. Responding yesterday, Owaisi categorically denied the presence of Bangladeshis in Bihar, especially in Seemanchal, a region where his party performed strongly in previous elections.
“Modi ji says there are Bangladeshis in Bihar. Modi ji, there are no Bangladeshis in Bihar, particularly in the Seemanchal region. But you have a sister from Bangladesh living in Delhi. Send her to Bangladesh. Bring her to Seemanchal, and we will drop her there,” Owaisi remarked, a thinly veiled jab at former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been residing in Delhi since stepping down in August 2019 amid protests in Dhaka.
The Politics of ‘Infiltrators’
Illegal immigration, particularly from Bangladesh, has long been a politically charged and national security-sensitive issue in India. Recent months have seen a regional crackdown to identify undocumented Bangladeshi residents, heightening political debates across states.
In Bihar, the topic has gained added significance due to the Election Commission’s special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists. While the EC insists the exercise ensures electoral transparency, opposition parties have criticized it, alleging it is a tactic to disenfranchise poorer citizens and minority communities. The commission has reported instances of Nepali, Bangladeshi, and Myanmarese nationals being registered as voters in Bihar.
PM Modi has repeatedly raised the issue of “infiltrators,” including in his Independence Day address and during election rallies. At Purnea, he warned of a “demographic crisis” caused by illegal immigration, linking it to concerns over the safety and honour of women.
“They have become so shameless they are raising slogans and taking out yatras in support of infiltrators from foreign countries,” Modi said, referring to Congress’ ‘Voter Adhikar’ rallies. He reiterated the BJP-led alliance’s commitment to removing all illegal immigrants and challenged political opponents to act if they truly opposed infiltration.
Opposition Pushback
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav dismissed the Prime Minister’s statements as election-time diversion tactics. “Let us assume for a moment there are ‘infiltrators’ in Bihar. But what has been done? You have been in power at the Centre for 11 years, and your party-led alliance has ruled Bihar for 20 years,” he said.
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