BJP, Shiv Sena listed Bangladeshi Muslims in slums

Called Citizenship, Identity and Residence of Immigrants in Delhi Slums, the project has revealed that in earlier deportation drives, immigrants have not been given an opportunity to establish their citizenship. Referring to repatriation attempts between 1992-94 the report states: “… the police conducted frequent late night raids in some bastis where many people suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals were taken to the police station. In most cases, individuals whose families offered money to the police were allowed to return while others who could not afford to pay the amount demanded were taken away and dropped at the Indo-Bangladesh border”.

Launching a scathing attack on the government for not being able to distinguish between Bengalis and Bangladeshis or immigrants and refugees, the report states: “If immigration from Bangladesh is indeed a serious issue for the Indian government, then the problem must be resolved through negotiations with the Bangladesh government. Deportation of poor Muslims is not the answer.”

PUCL’s work also reveals that selected groups of immigrants are far more vulnerable in the process of verifying documents. “First, Bengali-speaking immigrants in Delhi, especially those residing in areas with a sizeable number of Muslim immigrants, have been more likely to have their names deleted from electoral rolls and some have even been deported. Similarly, non-Bengali Muslim immigrants who have arrived from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other parts of India have had to establish their nationality”.

However, PUCL also says that the process of verifying Indian citizenship is problematic as, “… not all migrants in Delhi slums, including those who are Indian citizens, possess documents like ration cards or voter identity cards”.

Official documents however have little sanctity, as they are easily available for a price. While stating that “… relatively better-off immigrants, and sometimes in desperation, even poor immigrants, have obtained these documents after bribing officials or by giving money to brokers/ touts” the report also adds that “… communal bias can often shape the attitudes of the police and verifying officers”. According to PUCL: “It is clear that immigrants who suffer the most are also the poorest who cannot afford to bribe officials”.