Summary
The article discusses tensions in Bihar, India, where some politicians have labeled the Shershahbadi Muslim community as "Bangladeshi infiltrators." The issue has gained attention as Bihar approaches significant elections, with the ruling party using the term to target Bangla-speaking Muslims in the region.
Key Facts
- Mukhtar Alam, a Shershahbadi Muslim, experienced a personal fallout due to the "Bangladeshi infiltrator" label.
- Jitanram Manjhi, a former chief minister and ally of Prime Minister Modi, called Shershahbadi Muslims "infiltrators" from Bangladesh.
- Shershahbadi Muslims mostly live in the Kishanganj and Katihar districts of Bihar, India.
- The Shershahbadi community speaks a dialect combining Bangla, Urdu, and Hindi.
- There are about 1.3 million Shershahbadi Muslims in Bihar, according to a 2023 state caste census.
- Prime Minister Modi announced a "high-powered demography mission" to identify infiltrators in India, though specifics are not provided.
- Hindu right-wing groups in India often label Bangla-speaking Muslims in Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam as "Bangladeshi infiltrators."
- Tensions have risen in the lead-up to Bihar's state elections, focusing on campaigns against supposed infiltrators.
