The Othering of BengalisIs this erosion of Bengalis presence in India’s mainstream a mere social accident or the result of a well-calibrated political strategy? For Bengalis in India, these events not only reshaped geographical borders but also forged invisible walls of suspicion and prejudice. This sense of perpetual displacement has remained an undercurrent in Bengalis identity ever since. Few Bengalis from the Northeast or migrant Bengali communities hold significant positions in state or central power structure. Bureaucracy: Competitive examinations reveal disproportionately low Bengali representation in IAS, IPS and IFS cadres compared to their population share.