Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday accused the Odisha Police of forcibly evicting four Bengali-speaking Muslim traders from Nayagarh district despite their valid Aadhaar and voter ID documents proving Indian citizenship. In a sharp video message, she warned the officers, saying, “You will pay for your actions. Watch out.”
The allegation comes after the Trinamool Congress claimed that Odisha Police had been arbitrarily detaining and harassing Bengali migrant workers—charges the state administration has firmly rejected.
According to Moitra, the four traders had been living and working in Nayagarh for 18 years, continuing a legacy of their fathers who also worked in the region. They earned their livelihood by selling winter clothing and small goods.
Moitra alleged that the police wrongfully branded the men as Rohingya or Bangladeshi nationals, detained them on November 27, and ignored their valid identity documents. She said the workers were released only after repeated appeals, but were warned to leave the state within 48 hours.
She further claimed the men’s landlords—under police pressure—evicted them, forcing them to abandon nearly ₹2 lakh worth of belongings and flee overnight.
Accusing Odisha Police of unlawful discrimination, Moitra said:
“You have no right to evict Bengalis who are legally earning their livelihood. In Bengal, we treat lakhs of Odia workers—cooks, plumbers, gardeners—with dignity.”
Moitra also raised the matter publicly on X a day earlier, tagging Nayagarh SP S Susree and demanding accountability.
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