Mass evictions of people living in slums across cities, using force, amid allegations of ‘illegal immigration’ have acquired phenomenal pace in the past few months. Calling out certain demographics, like Muslims and those who speak in Bengali, as non-citizens and housing them in ‘holding centres’ has made the exercise acquire a menacing character.

The Wire reports on people vital to building city infrastructure, living on the margins, now suddenly finding their citizenship challenged.

Birbhum, West Bengal: With the Union government moving the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta high court order that mandated the repatriation of a pregnant woman and five others who were wrongfully deported to Bangladesh, the hopes of the woman's family, who hail from Birbhum district, have dimmed.

The family, residents of Dhitora village, are now devastated as the return of Sonali Bibi, her husband Danish Sheikh and their minor child – as well as another local woman Sweety Bibi and her two children – has become deeply uncertain.

Last month, the Calcutta high court had directed the Union government to repatriate all six individuals within four weeks. That deadline has now expired, and instead of facilitating their return, the government is appealing the decision, leaving the family in legal and emotional limbo.

“I don't have the power to fight against such a mighty government in the Supreme Court,” a heartbroken Bhadu Sheikh, Sonali's father, told The Wire. “The Modi government has snatched away my entire family and my descendants!”

“We don't have the financial means to fight the case. So, we are now discussing what we should do next,” said Arnab Pal of the Parijayee Sramik Aikya Mancha, an organisation that aids migrant labourers.

The family's distress has been compounded by a recent eyewitness report from the Bangladeshi jail where the six are being held. Mofizul Sheikh, who lives in a neighbouring village, travelled to Bangladesh and spent 28 days there to meet the detained group.

“The Bangladesh court and local administration investigated and identified them as Indian intruders,” Mofizul reported after his return. “All six of them are in jail. Although minors are not supposed to be kept in jail, they are there as there's no alternative shelter available.”

He saw the heavily pregnant Sonali in desperate need of medical attention. “Doctors examined Sonali and recommended several urgent medical tests, but such facilities are unavailable there. When they saw me, they broke down in tears, saying they just wanted to come home,” he said.

The ordeal for the poor migrant family, who earned a living in Delhi by collecting and selling garbage, began on June 21 when they were arrested by the Delhi police from the city's Rohini area. Despite their pleas and possessing Indian identification, they were expelled to Bangladesh on June 26.

They were then arrested by Bangladeshi authorities on August 21 for illegal entry and have been imprisoned since.

The Calcutta high Court, in a scathing verdict, had ordered their mandatory return, but the Union government's new challenge in the Supreme Court has stalled that order for the time being.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties in West Bengal.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam, who has been in touch with the family, vowed to continue the fight. 

“We are not giving up yet. We will file a counter-petition,” Islam said. “The entire village, cutting across political lines, confirms that this poor, destitute family are Indians. The politics of labeling them as Bangladeshis is unacceptable.”

Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Md. Salim accused the Union government of “cruel, vindictive politics.”

“Which law says that speaking Bengali makes someone Bangladeshi?” Salim asked, speaking to The Wire. “A pregnant mother and minor children were pushed back across the border. Now the government is going to the Supreme Court, claiming they are Bangladeshis – even though their homes and families are in Birbhum. Is this the punishment for speaking Bengali in our own country? Are Aadhaar and voter cards issued by the government now meaningless?”

When contacted, the local BJP block president of the Murarai area, Priyatosh Mondal, told The Wire he had “no knowledge of such an incident” and that the “local administration is unaware of it”.

Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.

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