Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday urged citizens to assist authorities in identifying what he described as “illegal infiltrators,” saying that their language could reveal their origins, without specifying which language he meant.
Speaking at an event in Mumbai marking the centenary of the Hindu nationalist organisation, Bhagwat said the government was working on the issue of infiltration but that members of the public should inform police if they suspected someone was a foreign national so authorities could investigate.
“The work has started gradually and will increase,” he said, referring to the identification and deportation of suspected foreigners, adding that citizens should remain vigilant.
Bhagwat also pointed to administrative exercises such as the census and revisions of electoral rolls, saying these processes sometimes identify people who are not citizens and that such individuals are excluded automatically.
His remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of Bengali-speaking Muslims in several parts of India. Rights groups and opposition figures say such rhetoric has contributed to harassment and violence, with reports of attacks in which victims were labelled as Bangladeshis.
Police in several states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party have detained Bengali-speaking Muslims and asked them to prove their citizenship. Some individuals were sent to Bangladesh before later returning after Indian authorities confirmed they were citizens, according to media reports.
Critics have warned that Bhagwat’s comments could further inflame tensions, a charge the RSS has previously denied, saying it does not support violence or discrimination.