Human Rights Watch has documented that hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims, many with valid Indian documentation, were unlawfully expelled to Bangladesh between May and July 2025. Though Indian authorities claim these individuals were undocumented migrants, evidence shows numerous Indian citizens were forcibly pushed across the border without due process—which violates both national and international law (Human Rights Watch).
In Assam—home to a large Bengali community—at least 300 people were “pushed back” to Bangladesh after being declared foreigners through flawed tribunal rulings. The tribunals, operating without transparency, have historically targeted Muslims disproportionately, excluding around 1.9 million people from the National Register of Citizens in 2019 (Human Rights Watch). Many were expelled even while appeals or court cases were pending—including individuals actively involved in litigation up to the Supreme Court (Human Rights Watch).
Other states—including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Delhi—have also seen similar expulsions targeting Muslim residents who migrated from West Bengal and other areas, some of whom were long-term Indian residents with homes and families. Many reported being blindfolded, taken at night, and threatened at gunpoint by Border Security Force officials during the pushbacks (Human Rights Watch).
Bangladesh authorities have criticized India’s actions as violations of established repatriation procedures, urging New Delhi to adopt transparent and verifiable processes consistent with international standards. Several deportees were returned to India after Bangladesh confirmed their Indian nationality—but many remain stranded, traumatized, and separated from their families (Human Rights Watch).
Human rights groups—including People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Human Rights Watch—have condemned these actions as arbitrary and discriminatory. PUCL highlighted cases in Rajasthan where at least 148 individuals were declared foreigners and forced into expulsion operations bypassing legal channels entirely (Countercurrents).
Critics argue the expulsions align with a broader crackdown—Operation Sindhoor—launched in the wake of a militant attack in Kashmir in April 2025, which saw sweeping detentions of suspected immigrants nationwide. Security officials have largely focused on Bengali-speaking Muslim populations, deepening fears of ethnic profiling and religious discrimination (visaverge.com).
