Although the Mumbai Police have solved the mystery of the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan by arresting an accused, the fact that he is of Bangladeshi origin has led to a political slugfest in Maharashtra. Earlier, the opposition parties were criticising the Mahayuti government over the law and order situation; now, they have targeted the BJP-led central government over its alleged failure to curb the influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
After a four-day-long manhunt, the 30-year-old attacker, Shariful Islam, was apprehended in Thane on Saturday night. Shariful’s interrogation revealed that he was a native of Rajbaria village in the Jhalokati district of Bangladesh. He had illegally crossed the Indian border and entered West Bengal 5–6 months ago, working under fake names at different restaurants in Mumbai and Thane. He possessed no valid Indian documents.
The Bangladeshi origin of the accused has provided an opportunity for the opposition to target the incumbent BJP.
Aditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT) blamed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the influx of illegal immigrants into India. He claimed that, despite being in power for three consecutive terms, the BJP has failed to prevent illegal immigration. His party leader Sanjay Raut held Amit Shah responsible and demanded his resignation. Raut also said that the central government should take action against Bangladeshis by deporting former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been granted asylum by the Indian government.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe also lambasted the government. He said that the infiltration of Bangladeshis was a matter of serious concern. He questioned how it was possible for infiltrators to reach Maharashtra after crossing 5–6 states from West Bengal. Londhe raised doubts about the alertness of the BSF, the Army, and intelligence agencies, all of which report to the central government.
Rohit Pawar of the NCP (SP) claimed that highlighting the Bangladeshi origin of Saif’s attacker was a ploy by the government to divert attention from the law and order problem raised by the opposition. He alleged that the government is raking up the Bangladeshi issue with an eye on the upcoming civic polls.
The other faction of Shiv Sena, which is part of the government, has also raised the issue. Milind Deora, a party MP, posted on a social media platform that he supported the free movement of Indians across the country but urged a comprehensive audit of illegal Bangladeshi migrants and their deportation. Krishna Hegde, the party’s spokesperson, noted that the deceased leader Bal Thackeray had often called for expelling illegal Bangladeshis from India. Hegde urged the government to initiate a nationwide crackdown against illegal Bangladeshis.
The issue of illegal Bangladeshis has been a significant part of Maharashtra’s political discourse for a long time. Saffron parties have alleged that Congress and its allies encouraged the illegal Bangladeshi population to strengthen their vote banks, which mainly comprised Muslims. However, this time, the BJP, which has been in power for over a decade at both the center and the state, is facing criticism for failing to curb the Bangladeshi menace. Recently, the Maharashtra Police have launched a crackdown on illegal Bangladeshis and deported several of them.
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