The rounding up of Bengalis in different parts of the country under the pretext of identifying illegal Bangladeshi migrants, is “orchestrated”, says Jawhar Sircar, former civil servant and ex-Rajya Sabha MP, in a conversation with The Wire's Sidharth Bhatia.

“With 13 states working together, only 1500 (Bangladeshi illegals) have been sent back. What numbers are we talking about”, he says in a podcast discussion with Sidharth Bhatia.

According to Sircar, the BJP had won 40% vote in West Bengal and by a “ferocious show of patriotism and Islamophobia”, it hopes to get an addition four or five percent more in the state elections next year.

But this “hounding of Bengalis”, many of whom are Hindus, is helping Mamata Bannerjee, he says. “She has started the second Bhasha Angolan,” which is an emotive issue for Bengalis.

“Bengalis consider themselves above sub-nationalism (and) Mamata is in control right now” but the situation could “flare” out of control, he says. "It is a dangerous game."

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