Ilegal B’deshi immigrants in Lko: Mayor backtracks on 2-lakh claim, calls it own estimate
Lucknow mayor Sushma Kharakwal admits her claim of 2 lakh illegal Bangladeshi immigrants was a personal estimate, with no survey backing it.
A day after claiming that nearly 2 lakh illegal Bangladeshi immigrants reside in the city, Lucknow mayor Sushma Kharakwal has said that the figure was only a personal estimate.
In its edition dated January 4, Hindustan Times had reported on the questions being raised on the mayor’s claim. A day later, the mayor backtracked on her claim and admitted that no survey had been done and that the number of around 2 lakh Bangladeshi nationals in the city, was purely her personal assumption.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Kharakwal said, “The growing number of unauthorised settlements across the city has led us to estimate that around 1.5 to 2 lakh people may be living illegally in Lucknow. We have begun surveying areas where such individuals have constructed cottages on government land, private properties, and near railway tracks.”
Kharakwal’s statement followed criticism by LMC officials due to the lack of concrete data to back her claim. She clarified that the ongoing survey aims to identify the exact number of encroachments through the cottages built by Bangladeshi residents, which will serve as the basis for further action.
A senior LMC official revealed that while the presence of such settlements cannot be denied, verifying the illegal status of residents is challenging. “Many of these individuals possess Aadhaar cards and other identification documents, making it difficult to prove their unauthorised status immediately. However, we have identified significant encroachments on government and private land and we are planning to work with relevant departments to address the issue,” the official said, on the condition of anonymity.
The official added that an LMC survey in Zone 7 is focused entirely on assessing the extent of encroachments and devising a plan for their removal.
The mayor said that the survey report of Zone 7 will come in the next three days.