Gujarat: Govt knew about illegal Bangladeshi nationals residing near, alleges Gohil

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had conducted a three-day demolition drive in the area between the major and the two lesser Chandola lakes between April 28 and May 1, razing at least 4,000 residential and commercial structures. According to sources, during the Phase-I of the operation, 1.5 lakh square metres of land was cleared of encroachment. The government aims to develop the area as a lakefront on the lines of Kankaria lake.

“The detention of nearly 180 Bangladeshi nationals, who had been living illegally in the Chandola lake area for years, soon after the Pahalgam terror attack, shows that the administration was well aware of their existence but did not take action due to vested interests,” said Gohil.

“Who is responsible for so many Bangladeshi nationals settling in Ahmedabad and living (here) for so long? The BJP is in power in Gujarat and the Centre, but never carried out any investigation in this regard all these years,” the Congress leader remarked.

The now-arrested alleged mastermind behind the encroachment on government land at Chandola lake was protected by the BJP for “working against Congress”, claimed Gohil.

Gohil was reportedly referring to Lallu ‘Bihari’ Pathan, an alleged slumlord, who was arrested by the Crime Branch from Rajasthan on May 1. At least 100 illegal properties belonging to Pathan, on and around Chandola lake were demolished, according to a statement from the AMC last week.

The Congress leader said that the BJP did not care whether the residents at Chandola were Hindus, Muslims or Bangladeshis. “For political benefit, the BJP shelters criminal elements, and this is the direct proof of it,” he said.

He said that the local Congress counsellor, Sailesh Parmar, had in 2021 and 2023 written to the AMC seeking “action against the mastermind and two others for carrying out encroachment and illegal construction in the area”.

Gohil said the Congress stands with the poor people affected by the anti-encroachment drive in the lake area and will offer support in their legal fight if they go for it.

“We are with the government over national interest and national unity. But as a responsible opposition, we will raise questions. My first question is, why was no action taken against these illegal Bangladeshi nationals in the past? Because such a swift action against them soon after the Pahalgam terrorist attack shows that the administration knew of their presence,” Gohil said.

Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.

“Just to hide your failure, you are taking action against poor Indians. We cannot turn a blind eye to this inhuman activity of running bulldozers on the houses of the poor and cutting their power and water supplies,” said the Congress leader.

He said that the poor were allowed by certain officials to construct houses in the area for money and votes. “These people include Hindus, Dalits and Muslims,” he said.

Meanwhile, chairman of AMC Standing Committee and BJP leader Devang Dani remained unavailable for a comment on the matter.