Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has stirred a political storm after alleging that 23 migrant workers from her constituency in Nadia, West Bengal, are being illegally detained at the Orient Police Station in Jharsuguda, Odisha.
In a strongly worded video message, Moitra appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Chief Secretary, and the Director General of Police (DGP) to intervene and secure the immediate release of the workers. “These are legal citizens with valid documents such as Aadhaar and voter IDs. This is a blatant human rights violation,” she said.
Moitra alleged that over 440 Bengali-speaking individuals have been held since Monday night as part of a crackdown on suspected illegal immigrants. “This never happened in 24 years of the previous administration. Now it’s becoming a daily affair,” she added, indirectly blaming the new BJP-led government in Odisha.
The MP warned that if her appeals are ignored, she would file 23 habeas corpus petitions—one for each of the detained workers. “Don’t assume these workers have no one to fight for them,” she cautioned.
23 workers from Nadia being held in illegal detention in Jharsuguda. I urge @SecyChief @DGPOdisha to release immediately. Never happened in 24 years of @Naveen_Odisha & now it is daily occurrence. Do not think there is no-one to fight for these workers. pic.twitter.com/n4WMBFQlB6
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 9, 2025
Odisha Police, however, defended the detentions, calling it part of a state-wide verification drive following directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs. “Only those without verifiable identification are being held. Those with proper documents are being released post-verification,” said IG Himanshu Lal.
Moitra went further, warning the Odisha government that such actions could backfire economically. “Fifty per cent of your tourism revenue comes from Bengal. If you detain our workers, our tourists will stop coming,” she asserted.
As the political showdown intensifies, calls for accountability grow louder, with multiple West Bengal officials contacting their Odisha counterparts for clarity and resolution.
