A burglary attempt at Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s Mumbai residence took a dramatic turn over the weekend as the alleged attacker was identified as a Bangladeshi national, sparking a fierce political blame game. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of January 16, left the actor wounded after an intruder, later identified as Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad (who had allegedly changed his name to Bijoy Das), stabbed Khan multiple times during a theft attempt.
Mumbai police swiftly arrested the 30-year-old man from Thane, a suburban area near Mumbai, and charged him with multiple offenses. The arrest, however, quickly became a flashpoint for political tensions, particularly between BJP and the opposition.
Following media reports identifying the attacker as a Bangladeshi national, BJP leaders, including Amit Malviya, the National Information & Technology Department in-charge, seized the opportunity to blame the opposition, particularly Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal government, for fostering a climate of illegal immigration. Malviya argued that the attack was symptomatic of a larger issue and accused political parties, including Congress and Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC), of exploiting illegal immigrants as vote banks.
In a post on social media platform X, Malviya wrote, “Political parties, like the Congress, TMC, and others in the I.N.D.I Alliance, that exploit illegal immigrants as vote banks and sought to communalize this incident to malign Hindus should apologize.” His comments fueled an already volatile debate on social media, with BJP supporters and opposition leaders exchanging barbs on the matter.
Mumbai Police has confirmed that Mohammad Shariful Islam, who attacked Saif Ali Khan, is an illegal resident, from Bangladesh, and had assumed a Hindu identity.
Political parties, like the Congress, TMC, among others in the I.N.D.I Alliance, that exploit illegal immigrants as… pic.twitter.com/gUdgc3bCuD— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 19, 2025
BJP’s charge aligns with its long-standing rhetoric that illegal immigration is a threat to national security and that some regional parties, particularly in West Bengal, turn a blind eye to this issue for political gain. The party claims that this incident is just one example of the larger problems that illegal immigration poses to the nation.
On the other hand, Mamata Banerjee’s TMC has vehemently rejected these claims, dismissing them as part of the BJP’s narrative to divert attention from its governance issues. TMC leaders have accused the BJP of using the Saif Ali Khan attack to whip up communal sentiments ahead of key elections in West Bengal. They argue that this is a blatant attempt to tarnish the state’s image by falsely accusing the ruling party of harboring illegal immigrants.
The controversy has gained significant traction online, with many speculating whether this incident could lead to further political clashes in the run-up to state and national elections. Critics of the BJP have pointed out that the attack itself was a criminal act, unrelated to broader political agendas, and caution against using such events for political mileage.
While the Mumbai police continue their investigation into the burglary and stabbing, the political blame game rages on, with both sides preparing for more public confrontations. The incident has raised important questions about the intersection of crime, immigration, and politics, and whether it will have lasting consequences on the upcoming electoral battles in India.
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