Mumbai: A Shiv Sena councillor was caught harassing Bengali-speaking Muslim vendors in Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai by demanding they show their Aadhaar cards so that he can weed out “Bangladeshi infiltration.”
Although the incident occurred on April 21, it came to light on Friday, May 1, after a video of the Shiv Sena councillor went viral on social media.
He accused the street hawkers of being Bangladeshi citizens while ordering them to furnish their identification proof. “Aadhaar card dikha tera. Kidhar se hai tu, Bengal se (show you Aadhaar card. Are you from Bengal)?” he asked one stall owner.
Taking rounds near what appeared to be a busy street, the councillor approached each stall and asked the owners for verification documents proving they were Indian citizens.
He was followed by a police officer who was seen dutifully checking the identification proof provided by the Muslims. The incident is from the Airoli area of Navi Mumbai.
The councillor left the neighbourhood after asking the local residents to call him if “anyone gives you trouble.”
Earlier in February, Shiv Sena founder and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had vowed to make Mumbai “Bangladesh-free.”
“Wherever there are Bangladeshis, they have taken some Aadhaar cards, some government documents. That will be investigated, and all those documents, like Aadhaar card, will be verified and cancelled, and Bangladeshis will be sent back…,” he said.
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