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The man, identified as Newton Das, reportedly took part in the 2024 protests in Bangladesh that triggered a regime change. He was found on the voter list in West Bengal’s Kakdwip.
Images on social media showed Newton Das in last year’s Bangladesh protests. (X/Reuters)
A fresh political storm erupted in West Bengal after a person allegedly involved in last year’s student-led protests in Bangladesh that resulted in the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina turned out to be a voter from the state’s Kakdwip area.
The man, identified as Newton Das, appeared in several images circulating on social media showing him taking part in the 2024 protests in Bangladesh, which triggered a regime change. The protests were triggered by a controversial quota system for government jobs.
However, Newton insisted that he was an Indian citizen and showed documents, including a PAN card and Aadhaar card, to support his claim. However, he did not clarify on whether he lived in India or Bangladesh.
‘Unexpectedly Got Caught Up’
“I had travelled to Bangladesh in 2024 for some issues related to our ancestral property, but I unexpectedly got caught up in the revolution there. I have been a voter in Kakdwip since 2014,” he was quoted by news agency PTI as saying in a video message.
“Although I lost my voter card in 2017, I managed to get a new one the following year with help from the local MLA, Manturam Pakhira. I also cast my vote during the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections.”
However, Newton’s cousin Tapan offered a contradictory account, saying Newton was born in Bangladesh and exercises voting rights in both countries.
“Niutan was born in Bangladesh and holds voting rights in both countries. He came to India after the pandemic to sell some ancestral land and has stayed here since. He should be held responsible for registering as a voter in both places, that’s clearly not right,” Tapan told reporters.
BJP Accuses TMC Of Facilitating Illegal Immigration
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized on the controversy, accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of encouraging illegal immigration to manipulate electoral outcomes. “This is the TMC blueprint — flood Bengal’s voter rolls with illegal infiltrators and secure elections with ghost votes,” the West Bengal BJP said on X.
Bangladesh to Bengal — one man, two votes.A Bangladeshi protestor’s name appears in Kakdwip’s voter list.He’s voting in both countries. Let that sink in.
❌ This isn’t an accident.✅ This is the TMC blueprint — flood Bengal’s voter rolls with illegal infiltrators and secure… pic.twitter.com/962eDRjQuC
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) June 8, 2025
Union Minister and BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar said, “Another shining example of the so-called “Egiye Bangla Model”! The same Newton who was seen wielding a stick during Bangladesh’s quota reform movement is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal!”
“Thousands of Bangladeshi “Newtons” voting in Bengal—courtesy of Mamata Banerjee’s infiltration theory and appeasement politics. With illegal voters and these lathi-wielders miscreants as her support base, she’s not running West Bengal… she’s scripting a blueprint for Greater Bangladesh,” he added.
Another shining example of the so-called “Egiye Bangla Model”!The same Newton who was seen wielding a stick during Bangladesh’s quota reform movement is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal!
Thanks to the special encouragement of the failed Chief Minister… pic.twitter.com/ehadHxknJy
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) June 7, 2025
His statements were echoed by the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, who said there are lakhs of Bangladeshi nationals who are included in the voter rolls of West Bengal. BJP Mathurapur organisational district secretary Sanjay Das alleged that “the Trinamool Congress is actively helping Bangladeshi infiltrators to enter India.
In response, the TMC rejected the allegations, shifting the blame to the Centre and the Border Security Force (BSF), which guards the Indo-Bangladesh border. “Our state government will do its part, but it’s up to the Union government to ensure security,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.
Debashis Das, TMC’s Sundarbans organisational district student wing president, was seen cutting cake with Das in a viral birthday party photo. ” had no idea he was involved in the Bangladesh protests. The photo going around was taken at a birthday celebration with many people present. If someone like him managed to cross the border, it just shows the BSF isn’t doing its job properly,” he clarified.
(with agency inputs)
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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