Growing fear grips Bengali-speaking migrants in Noida after police began citizenship verification drives, leaving many families anxious and uncertain. In several neighborhoods, residents are quietly packing their belongings and heading back to Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal, fearing detention despite having identity documents.
Binoy, a 52-year-old coconut seller in Sector 93A, revealed how tense the situation has become. When asked about his background, he quickly said, “I’m an Indian,” but later admitted he was from Kolkata. His nervousness reflects the anxiety spreading through migrant communities.
This fear began after the Union Home Ministry issued a letter in May 2023 directing states to prepare deportation plans for illegal immigrants. Since then, police have carried out checks in Delhi, Gurgaon, and now Noida, often detaining Bengali-speaking workers to verify documents.
In Sarfabad, locked houses lined the streets as families left in a hurry. Runa, a 29-year-old mother, said her family sent their bags home and prepared to leave after her sick mother panicked over the Gurgaon checks. She explained that their language differs from Bangladeshi Bengali, yet proving identity to authorities remains difficult.
Shopkeepers like Solaiman Miya said many neighbors had already gone back to their villages. Others stayed but admitted constant fear. Similar tensions rose earlier in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj when police cut electricity to Bengali families after a court ruling. Even though officials claimed to act only against “confirmed Bangladeshis,” widespread doubt persists.
Some migrants, however, remain in Noida. Scrap collectors from Jharkhand who speak Bengali said they cannot abandon their work despite risks. Raju, one of them, recalled a verification drive two months ago that unsettled residents but did not force them all to leave.
Police confirmed their checks are routine, with Public Relations Officer Subodh Kumar noting that large-scale drives were conducted across slum clusters. Still, the uncertainty has left families on edge, unsure whether they will be asked to prove their citizenship again.
In conclusion, the plight of Bengali-speaking migrants in Noida reveals the human cost of verification drives. Families who came seeking livelihoods now face fear and displacement. And hoping for a future where they can work and live without constant anxiety over their identity.
