‘It could have been done in a much better way, it was totally wrong’: Haryana Congress leaders on Gurgaon police’s ‘foreigners verification’ drive

Speaking with the Indian Express, the Nuh MLA said, “If someone speaks Bengali or Assamese, it doesn’t mean they are a foreign national, Bangladeshi or Rohingya”.

“There are ways to verify, but not like this. Putting them in holding centres, allegedly torturing and putting them up there for days. These are poor people doing odd jobs that no one else will do. It could have been done in a much better way; it was totally wrong. They have documents. The way they have been questioning, allegedly beating, and humiliating them, saying they’re with Mamata (Banerjee), is …”

Ahmed said he has been raising the issue with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Shatrujeet Kapur, Director General of Police.

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“They are poor who, for their daily bread, are willing to work in unhygienic conditions, and still you mete out such treatment by relying on some Union Home Ministry order. That is not what it said; you verify, but not like this. We will keep opposing it tooth and nail if it continues as well.”

Ultimately, it was being done at the government’s behest, he stressed.

‘Atmosphere of fear’

Haryana Congress leader Pearl Choudhary, who contested the 2024 Assembly elections from Pataudi, said the Gurgaon police’s move seemed illegal and invalid, and questioned its timing. “We have to see the timing, the Bihar elections are coming, I think it is very connected to the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise,” said Choudhary.

“Bengali-speaking Muslims are being targeted in the context of the Bihar polls and even West Bengal next year. It is election-driven. It has led to an atmosphere of fear.”

Choudhary said the migrant workers have all documents, and this is not the right time for the drive.

When asked about the lack of visibility of Haryana Congress leaders on the ground for the issue, she said they have been acting for the workers’ interests away from the media glare.

Also Read | ‘We are Indians, why must we prove it again?’: Men quizzed by Gurgaon cops during verification drive

“We are in touch with them, and the national level leaders, even people working with me, are doing whatever we can do. Without informing the media, we are acting, and even many from the All India Professionals’ Congress have been roped in for legal and other assistance. The media does not tend to give us space, but we are doing whatever we can do.”

Gurgaon police on verification drive

The Gurgaon police have refuted allegations of violence or torture on their part, saying due process was maintained and no particular religion was being targeted in their check for illegal foreigners.

Last Saturday, the police said they would round up only “confirmed foreign nationals” as part of their verification drive, as they shut four holding facilities that housed suspected foreigners on Friday. The four facilities were at community centres in Badshahpur, Sector 10A, Sector 40, and Sector 1 in Manesar.

“We had completed verification and checking of the suspected foreigners, hence the move. Even earlier, only those who were strong suspects based on missing or discrepancies in documents, or for example Bangladeshi numbers found on their phone or their WhatsApp being deleted, were taken to the holding centres,” a police spokesperson said.

Earlier, Gurgaon MLA and BJP leader Mukesh Sharma supported the verification drive. “The Rohingya have negatively affected the law and order situation in Gurgaon, we all know. They set up jhuggis (here) and their numbers increase… they have a system to get documents made.”

Asked about domestic help who are genuine citizens belonging to West Bengal being picked up, he said, “See, as directions have come from the (Union) government, we have to support the drive. The government and police are working based on their intel. Let the checking be thorough.”