Why the Bangladeshi migrant surge is making headlines in Bengal
West Bengal's Basirhat has seen a steady stream of undocumented Bangladeshi migrants—about 200 to 300 people a day—since July. This sudden influx is tied to a major voter list clean-up called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
But now, stricter document checks are pushing many migrants, some with Indian IDs, to head back home.
The situation has quickly turned political: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calls it a "super emergency," while BJP's Suvendu Adhikari wants action against what he claims are 13 lakh fake voters.
What's fueling the controversy?
At its core, this is about who gets counted as a voter in Bengal.
The SIR process aims to weed out fake entries from electoral rolls—a move that's become the latest flashpoint between Trinamool Congress and BJP.
Stories like Mithu Molla's, who managed to get Indian documents despite entering illegally but is now being sent back, highlight how complex things have gotten.
With debates over citizenship laws like CAA and NRC already heating up, this migrant issue is adding even more fuel to West Bengal's political fire.