Guwahati, Sept. 6 -- A Bengali hawker from West Bengal was thrashed in Odisha's Jaleshwar last week after being branded a 'Bangladeshi' a label that civil rights groups say has its roots in Assam's long history of migration politics.

The victim, 36-year-old Tarzan Sheikh of Katwa's Karjgram, alleged that he was stopped near Lakshmandihi on Sunday.

Questioned in Odia about his identity, Sheikh replied in Bengali and showed his Aadhaar and voter ID. The mob dismissed the documents as fake, assaulted him, fractured his arm, and robbed him of Rs6,000. He later fled to Katwa and lodged a complaint.

Seeds sown in Assam

Assam has lived with the migration debate for decades. The anti-foreigner agitation (1979-1985) and the Assam Accord gave l...