Migrant worker from Bengal stabbed in MP’s Sagar, family cites language bias

A 37-year-old migrant worker from West Bengal was allegedly assaulted in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, with reports suggesting that the attack may have been triggered by his use of the Bengali language.

Syed Sk, originally from Paharpur village in West Bengal, had been earning a livelihood in Madhya Pradesh for nearly a decade. Since 2015, he had been working as a cloth vendor, travelling between villages to sell garments.

On February 19, while he was in Samnapur village, Syed was reportedly confronted by unidentified individuals who allegedly robbed him and stabbed him multiple times.

Following the incident, Syed was rushed to Bundelkhand Medical College and Hospital in Sagar, where he underwent surgery. Medical authorities are said to be monitoring his condition.

Family members have claimed that Syed had previously voiced concerns about his safety. His wife, Nurefa Biwi, stated that he had been living with a sense of fear, worried that he might be targeted for speaking Bengali while working outside his home state.

The case has drawn attention from West Bengal officials. Samirul Islam, chairman of the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board and a Trinamool Congress MP, said that arrangements were made to ensure Syed received medical care and that a First Information Report (FIR) had been filed.

He added that the board, acting on directions from Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, is extending support to Syed and his family. According to Islam, once Syed’s health stabilises, efforts will be made to bring him back to West Bengal and assist with his rehabilitation.

The incident has once again highlighted concerns about the safety of migrant workers, particularly those from West Bengal. In recent years, there have been multiple reports of Bengali-speaking workers facing hostility in different parts of the country.

In several cases, workers have alleged that they were harassed or attacked after being accused of being undocumented immigrants, a charge frequently denied by families and community representatives.

Earlier this month, a migrant worker from West Bengal’s Purulia district was killed in Pune, Maharashtra. His relatives alleged that he had been singled out for speaking Bengali.

In January, eight workers from Bengal were reportedly attacked and forced out of a bread factory in Chhattisgarh’s Surajpur district by individuals linked to a right-wing organisation.

Last year, more than 250 Bengali-speaking migrant workers, many of them Muslims, were detained in Haryana’s Gurugram. The detentions reportedly sparked anxiety among workers, leading many to leave for their hometowns.

Similar allegations of harassment and violence involving Bengali-speaking migrants have also surfaced in Odisha, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

As Syed Sk continues his recovery in the hospital, the episode has renewed debate around the vulnerabilities faced by migrant labourers, language-based discrimination, and the need for stronger protections for workers who move across states in search of employment.