TNI Bureau: Trinamoool Congress (TMC) MP Mohua Moitra has intervened in the matter of detention of 444 migrants in Jharsuguda district and urged the Odisha government to release them immediacy.
Sharing a video on her X handle, Moitra said, “23 workers from Nadia being held in illegal detention in Jharsuguda. I urge Chief Secretary, DGP to release immediately. Never happened in 24 years of Naveen Patnaik and now it is daily occurrence. Do not think there is no-one to fight for these workers.”
“All of these 23 workers have valid documentation, Aadhaar cards, EPIC cards, everything they need to work there. India is a union of states, and every single citizen has the right to life and the right to livelihood and the right to work anywhere within the territory of India. Please don’t think there’s no one to fight for these workers. If they are not released immediately, we will file 23 habeas corpus petitions and I will go there myself,” she added.
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The TMC MP further said, “In 23 years of Naveen Patnaik’s BJD government, this has never happened. But in the past year, since the BJP came to power (in the state), this has become a daily occurrence.”
“I urge the Orisha government to think about one thing. It is easy for you to prey, to harass, to intimidate poor workers who go to earn a livelihood. Have you ever thought that 50 per cent of Orissa’s tourism revenue comes from Bengal? 50 per cent of tourism is from Bengali tourists. Today, if you harass and detain our workers, tomorrow, Bengali tourists will stop going to Orissa. They are the ones who stay at your hotels, who eat at your restaurants, who visit your places of pilgrimage. What will happen?” she threatened.
In his reply to Mohua Moitra, Sambalpur IG Himanshu Kr Lal, said, “We understand the concerns raised regarding the holding of individuals in Jharsuguda. However, safeguarding national interest and security remains paramount and cannot be compromised. The individuals under scrutiny lack valid documentation to establish their residency or citizenship, necessitating a thorough verification process to ascertain their identity.”
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