Delhi Police crackdown on illegal immigrants sparks tensions

Delhi police conducted night-wide searches at different slum clusters located across the metropolis in relation to an investigation still ongoing against several Bangladeshi nationals allegedly infiltrated to India.

As per DCP, West Delhi Veer Vichitra, such operation was undertaken after sundown and before sun rises so that, most family members are inside house after getting work.

The logic behind conducting the operation at night is that during the day, people are normally out at work. At night, families are present at home, which makes verification easy. We have begun with sending 10 Bangladeshi deportees from West Delhi and other districts are also acting on it said DCP Veer.

The ongoing crackdown has sparked political tensions, with the BJP accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of issuing voter IDs and Aadhaar cards to Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants for electoral gain.

This criticism comes after Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, raised concerns over the increasing involvement of illegal immigrants, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, in criminal activities.

Saxena's comments were partly in response to a recent incident in Mumbai, where a Bangladeshi national was arrested in connection with a break-in and assault on actor Saif Ali Khan.

Subsequently, Saxena instructed the Delhi Police Commissioner to undertake special operations to spot and arrest undocumented immigrants. As early as 20 January a letter from Delhi Lieutenant Governor's Secretariat highlighted the awareness campaign and stressed that the Police should run awareness campaign through all media to awaken the public necessity of verifying not only the foreign workers, help in homes or laborers being brought into these places for work, but everyone else for securing safety and security.

This call for action comes after earlier directives issued in December of last year, wherein Saxena had directed the Delhi Chief Secretary and Police Commissioner to initiate the much-required drive against the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the city.