Kolkata

BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, representing Purulia in West Bengal, wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday regarding ongoing illegal immigration in the tribal areas known as Junglemahal, which includes Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, and West Midnapore. He highlighted that the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants is disrupting the demographic balance in this region, which has long been a cultural and economic center for Indigenous people.

Mahato referenced Shah’s recent speech in Sahibganj, Jharkhand, warning that unchecked immigration could lead to a demographic takeover within two decades, a problem he argues also affects West Bengal. He expressed concerns that this shift is creating significant challenges for local Hindus and the tribal population.

The MP pointed out issues like illegal land grabs, fraudulent marriages, and identity theft linked to immigrants, which are harming the region’s social and economic stability. Local job opportunities are dwindling as illegal immigrants take them, displacing tribal communities from their ancestral lands.

Mahato accused the ruling Trinamool Congress and its allies of facilitating this crisis and claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has encouraged Bangladeshi nationals to settle in the state for political gain. He urged Shah to consider stricter laws to hold officials and NGOs accountable for supporting illegal immigration.