• India has been accused of illegal deportations of Muslims to Bangladesh.
• Officials claim the deported individuals are undocumented migrants, a claim contested by activists.
• Rights activists highlight the targeting of Bengali-speaking Muslims as part of a broader ideological campaign.
• Testimonies from deported individuals depict extreme measures, including threats of violence.
• Over 1,600 deportations reported since May, resulting in significant international condemnation.

India is facing accusations of illegal deportations, with reports indicating hundreds of individuals are being sent to Bangladesh without trial. Activists and legal experts condemn these actions, arguing they are based on ethnic profiling and violate international law. The Indian government asserts that those deported are undocumented migrants, primarily targeting individuals from the Muslim-majority Bangladesh region due to a longstanding hardline immigration policy, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has implemented aggressively. This campaign has instilled fear among India's roughly 200 million Muslims, particularly those who speak Bengali, a language common in both India and Bangladesh, according to The Jakarta Post, Dawn, and TRT World.

The tensions between India and Bangladesh have flared due to a series of deportations closely following a broader security crackdown initiated after a deadly attack in Kashmir in April, which left 26 mostly Hindu tourists dead. New Delhi blamed the incident on Pakistan, prompting a violent conflict that resulted in over 70 fatalities. In response, Indian authorities intensified their operations against "illegals," leading to thousands of detentions and subsequent deportations at gunpoint, which rights groups have characterized as illegal, according to The Jakarta Post, Dawn, and TRT World.

Testimonies from individuals who faced deportation provide further insights into the harrowing experiences endured. One victim, Rahima Begum, described her ordeal of being detained along with other Muslims and being threatened with violence. "They said: 'Do not dare to stand and walk, or we will shoot you,'" she recounted, illustrating the fear these actions instilled in deportees. Upon being returned to India after her harrowing experience, she was warned to remain silent about what had happened to her, highlighting the atmosphere of intimidation surrounding these deportations, as reported by The Jakarta Post, Dawn, and TRT World.

Critics point to a broader ideological campaign being waged against Bengali-speaking Muslims, with evidence suggesting that even recognized citizens are at risk of deportation. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that individuals with valid citizenship documents were also wrongfully labelled as immigrants and expelled based on their ethnicity. The legal framework in India raises serious questions about the legality of these actions, as civil rights lawyers argue that deportations cannot occur without due process or assurance of acceptance by the neighboring country, as emphasized by The Jakarta Post, Dawn, and TRT World.

The magnitude of deportations since May is significant, with Bangladesh reporting over 1,600 cases, while Indian media suggests the actual number could be closer to 2,500. Many of those detained have been reported to be Bengali-speaking individuals, with reports of others being forcibly deported into dangerous conditions. These actions, including the forced deportations of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh, have drawn sharp international scrutiny, further complicating India's image on the global stage and raising concerns about human rights and ethnic tensions in the region, as highlighted by The Jakarta Post, Dawn, and TRT World.