"Get Out": Discrimination in BJP States Triggers Bengal Migrant Exodus

West Bengal is witnessing an unprecedented "reverse migration" crisis driven by two powerful forces: the forced deportation of Bengali-speaking workers from BJP-ruled states, and a wave of voluntary self-deportations along the Bangladesh border triggered by the new Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The crackdown, intensified since May 2025, has seen hundreds of workers detained in states like Haryana and Odisha as suspected illegal immigrants. Simultaneously, fear of the SIR process has prompted over 1,200 undocumented migrants to cross back into Bangladesh from Hakimpur in just six days.

The Context (How We Got Here)

For decades, Bengal has been a net exporter of labor, with over 22 lakh registered workers seeking employment across India. This flow has reversed sharply since mid-2025, following a Ministry of Home Affairs directive to identify illegal immigrants. Bengali-speaking workers in states like Haryana and Rajasthan report being targeted, detained, and branded as "Bangladeshis" regardless of citizenship. In response, Chief Minister [Mamata Banerjee] launched the "Shramasree" scheme in August, offering ₹5,000 monthly aid to returnees. However, the SIR launch on November 4 has accelerated the chaos, creating panic among undocumented residents who fear detention over deportation.

The Key Players (Who & So What)

Mamata Banerjee (CM, West Bengal): The defender. She frames the return as a humanitarian rescue from "linguistic terrorism," using the crisis to consolidate Bengali regional pride against the BJP.
Suvendu Adhikari (Leader of Opposition): The critic. He argues the return is economically unviable, noting that workers earning ₹50,000 elsewhere won't survive on Mamata's ₹5,000 dole, calling the scheme "political drama."
Haripada Mondal (Hakimpur Resident): The witness. A 79-year-old local who compares the current exodus to 1971, noting that people are fleeing not war, but the fear of document verification.

The BIGSTORY Reframe

While the headlines focus on "discrimination" and "politics," the deeper story is economic hollowing-out. Bengal isn't just receiving persecuted workers; it's receiving them into an economic vacuum. Data shows the state lost 3 million informal sector jobs between 2016 and 2023, while 4,751 industrial units fled to other states. The tragedy isn't just that workers are being forced to return; it's that they are returning to a state that structurally cannot employ them. This isn't a homecoming; it's a migration from "hostile employment" to "friendly unemployment."

The Implications (Why This Changes Things)

This dual migration creates a volatile social pressure cooker. The return of thousands of jobless men to rural districts like Murshidabad and Coochbehar will strain local economies and could spike crime or social unrest. Politically, the SIR-driven exodus validates BJP claims of illegal infiltration while simultaneously fueling TMC's narrative of victimhood. The "Shramasree" scheme, while symbolically potent, is economically insufficient to replace the remittances that sustain millions of Bengal families.

The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)

If workers are forced to choose between dignity without a job in Bengal, or a job without dignity elsewhere, is this a "homecoming" or just a different kind of exile?

FAQs

Why are Bengali workers returning to West Bengal in 2025? Workers are returning due to two main factors: alleged harassment and detention in BJP-ruled states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where they are branded as "illegal immigrants," and fear of the new Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has triggered panic about citizenship verification.

What is the Shramasree scheme? Launched by the West Bengal government in August 2025, the Shramasree scheme offers returning migrant workers a one-time travel grant of ₹5,000, a monthly allowance of ₹5,000 for up to a year, and job cards for local employment.

Are illegal migrants leaving West Bengal? Yes. Reports from the Hakimpur border indicate that over 1,200 undocumented people have voluntarily crossed back into Bangladesh in recent days, fearing detention during the ongoing SIR electoral roll verification process.

How many industrial units have left West Bengal? Data indicates that over 4,751 industrial units have moved out of West Bengal to states like Maharashtra and Gujarat in the last decade, contributing to a severe shortage of local jobs for returning workers.

Sources

News Coverage

Research & Analysis

Brajesh Mishra Associate Editor

Brajesh Mishra is an Associate Editor at BIGSTORY NETWORK, specializing in daily news from India with a keen focus on AI, technology, and the automobile sector. He brings sharp editorial judgment and a passion for delivering accurate, engaging, and timely stories to a diverse audience.