-- D.Leena

It is painstaking to see the action of the State administration on the question of the language and religious minorities living in the National Capital. People are physically lifted from their houses or work places and deported out of the country in the name of "Bangladeshi". People are being denied the most fundamental rule of law ¡V the law of fair hearing, which is a mandatory provision under the country¡¦s law. This is the new form of democracy emerging, which is least interested in protecting human rights violations.

Now the question is why people have been deported to Bangladesh, even if they have valid proof of residence in India? The reason is based on the presumptions of the administration that any person who speaks in Bangla language and is also a Muslim is a Bangladeshi. As for the documents of proof, the administration frames it as a paper, which is fraudulently procured. So the proof of residence does not hold ground to prove themselves Indians because they are Bangla speaking Muslims.

In one of the recent cases in the capital, labourer Mohammad Subhan (40) was physically lifted along with his 9-year-old son Sakur from the work site by the police. Hawa Begam, his wife, has no idea of the whereabouts of her husband and son. Mohammad Subhan was born in East Delhi¡¦s Seemapuri area and then lived in a slum cluster with his family for more than 20 years. The couple has six children all between the ages of three and twelve.

Hawa Begum has all records to prove that they are the legal citizens of this nation but they have not been given a single chance to show their documents. She is running from one office to another in the quest of justice, and unable to take care of her children. Her husband was the sole bread¡Vwinner of the family and since his arrest she is barely able to meet her family¡¦s needs. If Mohammad Subhan is not released soon, his family will be faced with starvation.

There are hundreds of families in Delhi harassed by the biases and presumptions of the State against religious and linguistic minorities. People have been detained and deported to unknown lands without the opportunity to a fair hearing.