Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen has expressed deep concern over the rising harassment of Bengali speakers across various Indian states and their pushback at the borders.
On Friday, during a discussion in Kolkata, he joked, “There is a possibility that I too might be sent to Bangladesh, as my ancestral home is in Dhaka. It’s not that I have a major objection to this.”
Amartya Sen was born in Santiniketan, West Bengal. He is equally popular as an economist in both Bengals.
Indian media outlets have recently reported that many people are being pushed back at the borders under suspicion of being Bangladeshi, merely for speaking Bengali.
Commenting on this, Sen said, “I read in the newspaper that someone was sent to Bangladesh for speaking Bengali. I then thought, perhaps I should speak in French. But the problem is, I do not know French.”
When the issue of harassment and detentions of Bengali speakers in BJP-ruled states arises, he recalls the pluralism of Indian society.
“In my view,” he said, “there is ample reason to celebrate every cultural identity, including Bengalis and Punjabis. Bengali speakers are facing neglect and disrespect in workplaces. I am not claiming Bengali culture is superior to all others, but it is essential to show respect for our language, culture, and history. If that does not happen, protest is warranted.”
Incidents of Bengali speakers being pushed back at borders have occurred before, but they have increased since April this year. Following a terrorist attack in Pehalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed, the Ministry of Home Affairs of India launched operations across several states. Shortly thereafter, over a thousand Bangladeshis, including women and children, were detained in Ahmedabad and Surat, Gujarat.
Since then, Bengali speakers arrested in various states on suspicion of being ‘illegal immigrants’ have been brought by plane to border areas and handed over to the BSF. Taking advantage of the situation, the BSF has been pushing them back into Bangladesh. Reports of this process have appeared not only in Indian media but also in international outlets such as the BBC and The New York Times.
