Agartala, August 04, 2025: A letter from the Station House Officer (SHO) of Lodhi Colony Police Station in New Delhi has stirred up strong reactions after it referred to Bengali as the “Bangladeshi language” while seeking translation support for documents related to arrested foreign nationals.

The letter, dated 2025 and issued in connection with FIR No. 51/2025 under various sections including the Foreigners Act and Aadhaar Act, sought an official translator “proficient in Bangladeshi national language” for interpreting documents seized from eight persons suspected to be illegal Bangladeshi nationals. The letter mentions that these documents—such as ID cards, birth certificates, and bank statements—contain text in “Bangladeshi language” and need to be translated into Hindi and English.

Reacting sharply to the terminology used, TIPRA Motha founder and Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarman condemned the language used by Delhi Police, calling it both “deeply concerning” and “ignorant.”

“Referring to Bengali as a ‘Bangladeshi language’ by Delhi Police is deeply concerning. Today it is Bengali, tomorrow it can be any other language,” said Pradyot.

“There is no such thing called a Bangladeshi language! How can we forget that even our national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was originally composed in Bengali by Tagore?” he questioned, expressing dismay at the insensitivity of the terminology.

The TIPRA Motha leader also warned that such official language missteps could empower divisive narratives.

“These actions by Delhi Police give space to extremist views and give people like Yunus a chance to tarnish our country’s image,” he stated, likely referring to figures critical of India’s human rights or diversity record.

Reiterating his stand against linguistic imposition, Pradyot said: “Yes, I remain firmly opposed to the imposition of any language on any community. But as Indians, we must uphold respect for all our languages, be it Kokborok, Bengali, Tamil, Assamese, Mizo, Bodo, or Hindi or even English.”

The controversy has triggered fresh debate over linguistic sensitivity and bureaucratic awareness in a multilingual country like India. Scholars and activists have also urged the authorities to acknowledge and respect India’s constitutional and cultural diversity while dealing with cross-border or immigration issues.