Mahua slams Chhattisgarh Police for ‘forcibly’ sending migrants back to Bengal

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday accused the Chhattisgarh Police of violating the Constitution by “forcing” nine migrant workers from Bengal to leave the state in central India after releasing them from detention.

The migrant labourers, reportedly residents of her Krishnanagar Lok Sabha Constituency in Nadia district, were earlier arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Kondagaon.

In a video message posted on X, Moitra alleged that despite being released from custody, the workers were “forced” to board buses and compelled to return to Bengal.

She described the alleged incident as a “gross violation” of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, which protects citizens’ freedom of movement and the right to practise any profession.

“Attention @ChhattisgarhCMO @KondagaonDist @CG_Police – you are physically pushing my workers into buses forcibly to send them back! You have NO right to stop free movement of people – Fundamental rights Articles 19 (1) (d) & (g). STOP,” the MP posted on X.

The TMC leader alleged that the initial arrest of the nine migrant labourers was based on “false” charges and claimed that it was an “abduction orchestrated” by the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh government and its police.

“I want to ask the DGP of Chhattisgarh—do you know what your police are doing? These people are not criminals; they had gone there for work. You cannot forcibly put them on a bus and send them back like this. They have the right to live and work in any part of the country.

“That right is being taken away. I hope you realise this, because if you don’t, I am going to take you to court,”

Moitra claimed in her video statement, addressing Chhattisgarh’s director general of police.

The TMC MP also claimed that she had received information that all nine workers had been released, but were subsequently coerced into leaving the state.