LS polls: After Ferdous Ahmed, another Bangladeshi actor faces action for campaigning

LS polls: After Ferdous Ahmed, another Bangladeshi actor faces action for campaigning Representative image | AFP

Days after deporting Bangladeshi actor Ferdous Ahmed, who was campaigning for Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, one more Bangladeshi actor, Gazi Abdun Noor, who attended a political rally in Dumdum has been asked to leave India.

In any case, Gazi’s visa had expired. But sources in the home ministry said not only has he been asked to leave, but appropriate action is also being taken regarding his overstay in contravention of visa validity.

Gazi Noor and Ferdous are among several others who have come under the scanner of the Election Commission after the Bharatiya Janata Party lodged a complaint of interference of “foreign nationals” in the Lok Sabha election campaign by the TMC. The TMC, which is the ruling political party in West Bengal , has been accused of fielding Bangladeshi actors and singers in the rallies ahead of the Lok Sabha elections which has become a serious political issue. The issue has resulted in a war of words between the TMC and BJP in West Bengal in the election season with the former defending their presence in the poll campaigns

The BJP, however, complained to the Election Commission of violation of model code of conduct by the TMC. According to the BJP, the TMC has flouted the norms by bringing foreign nationals to campaign in the elections which is a “domestic sovereign exercise”.

On April 16, the MHA cancelled the visa of Ferdous and blacklisted him. His business visa was cancelled and was issued a notice to leave India. The crackdown began after he was seen campaigning and taking part in roadshows for the TMC in some districts like North Dinajpur in West Bengal.

The ministry had asked the bureau of immigration for a report on the alleged visa violations following which it took stringent steps to send him back. The Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Kolkata has also been directed to ensure compliance of the EC orders.

It is learnt that Ferdous had taken part in a roadshow along with other Bengali actors at Raiganj, Hemtabad, Karandighi and Islampur.

Gazi is learnt to have been campaigning at the behest of TMC leader Madan Mitra. Mitra, while defending the move of Bangladeshi actors campaigning for the party, had hit out at the BJP government at the Centre saying that even the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran khan has supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi.