Five Bangladeshi citizens were arrested on Tuesday in Delhi, along with six Indians who allegedly provided them with fake Aadhaar cards. The development comes at a time when the BJP and the AAP are engaged in a heated battle over the illegal influx of Bangladeshis into the national capital right before the Delhi Assembly election 2025.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Aam Aadmi Party of promoting illegal Bangladeshi migration into Delhi for electoral gains, the AAP has pinned the blame on the BJP-led Centre for its failure to plug the gaps along the India-Bangladesh borders.
The Delhi Police on Tuesday said the accused issued fake Aadhaar cards through a website. The Bangladeshis were also provided with fake income certificates and other documents. The shocking part was that the documents were easily made accessible for just paltry sum of just Rs 20.
The police said they crossed into India through forested areas. Later, they took trains and buses to reach Delhi.
A total of 21 Aadhaar cards have been seized. The Delhi Police is also working on a lead that they believe could lead them to the person who facilitated the illegal migration.
BJP Accuses AAP Of Raking In 'Bangladeshi Votes'
Reacting to the arrests, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari said that the AAP was benefitting from Bangladeshis in electoral battles. "A gang of 11 people involved in the illegal immigration of Bangladeshi citizens have been arrested. It is speculated that the AAP got 5-7 lakh votes from illegal immigrants through these gangs," he said.
Delhi BJP spokesperson and Media Department Head, Praveen Shankar Kapoor said: "The BJP has been consistently stating that large-scale Aadhaar cards are being made for illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Delhi, and votes are being generated based on these cards. As soon as we raise these allegations, Arvind Kejriwal gets agitated. Why? What is the connection between Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, and the illegal Rohingyas and Bangladeshis that makes them so upset when action is demanded against them?"
It must be noted that the Delhi Police, which is taking action against the "illegal influx" of Bangladeshis, is under the Union Home Ministry.
"Delhi's people deserve to know why they want no action taken against illegal Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. Today, the South Delhi Police arrested a gang involved in making Aadhaar cards for illegal Bangladeshis. The next step will be to create votes from them," he added.
AAP Targets Amit Shah Over 'Illegal Bangladeshi' Issue
The AAP put the ball in the BJP's court, saying that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was responsible for the influx of illegal Bangladeshi movement into India. AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said: "If there are Rohingyas anywhere in the country... Amit Shah is directly accountable as he is the Home Minister... If there are Rohingyas in Delhi, Hardeep Singh Puri is responsible who publicly tweeted tagging PMO on August 17 that Rohingyas are being settled in Bakkarwala... Internal and external border security are the responsibility of HM Amit Shah... Questions should be put to him."
"...We shall make sure that the resources of Delhi's people remain for them only. None of these resources can be used by Rohingyas," she added.