Hindu Refugees Struggle for Citizenship and Basic Rights in Gadchiroli

Hindu Refugees Struggle for Citizenship Rights

The population of Hindu refugees who came from Bangladesh and settled in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra has reached around 50 thousand.

It has been a significant challenge for these people to make ends meet in this naxal-affected area. They remain deprived of basic facilities like roads, electricity, education, and medical care. For years, they have been fighting for their rights, struggling for land ownership, the right to education in Bengali medium, caste certificates, reservations, and crucial citizenship rights.

Appeal to the Government for Justice

After the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), gaining citizenship has become even more challenging. The Nikhil Bharat Bengali Sharnarthi Samanvay Samiti has been advocating for Bengali Hindu refugees for many years, demanding that the government provide them with justice.

According to Dr. Subodh Biswas, National President of the Nikhil Bharat Bengali Refugee Coordination Committee, “Nobody wants to leave their own country. The Hindus of Bangladesh consider India their mother, which is why they came to Maharashtra. Now they wonder why they are facing discrimination.”

Refugee Bidhan Bepari stated, “We came here in 1964 because Bangladesh was unsafe for us. Around 20 lakh people arrived. Many settled in West Bengal too. We gradually cleared forests and started growing food. However, we are still struggling with basic crises. 80 percent of us do not have citizenship.”

Another refugee, Maharani Shuken, expressed the challenges faced since their arrival: “I was one year old when my father brought us to India to escape violence in Bangladesh. We received land and animals but have remained impoverished and without caste certificates.”