Detect, Delete & Deport fuels exodus from Bengal

Detect, Delete & Deport – this new yet stern mantra of the newly assumed BJP government in West Bengal has started yielding results.

An unprecedented exodus has begun.

A wave of illegal immigrants, hundreds of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas have started gathering at various checkpoints along the Indo-Bangladesh border, intending to return to their home country.

The latest decision of chief minister Suvendu Adhikari that illegal infiltrators will not be kept in prisons at the state's expense but will be transferred to holding centers before being handed over to the Border Security Force, has triggered an unforeseen panic among the immigrants.

The reason behind this panic could be blamed on the current crackdown which is strictly being overseen by the BSF personnel at the border. A rigorous verification process, including biometric and fingerprint checks, before sharing credentials with border guards on the other side for final clearance, has thoroughly robbed the illegal infiltrators of their well-entrenched peace and hope of settling in West Bengal.

At the same time, people have started pointing out a strange similarity between Adhikari and US President Donald Trump. Both had made it an election pledge to drive the illegal immigrants away from the country and on assumption of office, both have resorted to fulfilling that promise.

Amit Shah’s Directive

To rub salt to their wounds, union home minister Amit Shah has announced that authorities have been advised to dismantle all illegal structures within a 15-km radius of the international border, especially Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The measure is aimed at not only to boost vigilance along the border, but prevent the anti-national elements from sneaking into India through porous and unfenced sections.

Earlier, there were heated debates on the issue of allocating land to the BSF to beef up border security. Various leaders and security experts strongly condemned the Trinamool Congress-led Mamata Banerjee government’s consistent denial to hand over land to the BSF to complete the fencing along the border.

Even the Supreme Court of India had issued strictures against her government for this weird decision that went against the interest of the country’s security.

Snub of Dilip Ghosh

The Panchayat & Rural Development minister Dilip Ghosh came down heavily on these illegal immigrants on Friday (29/5/2026), saying that the state government would not keep on ‘feeding’ these immigrants for an indefinite period at the designated holding centres.

“We won’t take the responsibility of feeding you all square meals a day; after a stipulated period, the fish or egg meal will be reduced to only a bowlful of rice and thereafter, the authorities will suspend this free canteen,” he asserted.

Ghosh, who backed the state government's recent crackdown, made it abundantly clear that those staying unlawfully should return to their countries voluntarily or face strict administrative action in accordance with the Home Ministry guidelines.

As of now, a total of 386 illegal immigrants including 99 women and 88 children have been ‘holed up’ in 11 such centres set up close to the international border.

 The anti-infiltration drive addresses long-standing grievances among locals regarding job scarcity and depressed wages caused by undocumented labour. The strict measures mark a significant shift in the state's approach to border security and illegal immigration.