'Ashamed': Mamata leads mega protest against 'harassment' of Bengali migrants
What's the story
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a massive protest in Kolkata on Wednesday against the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states. The protest march, which started from College Square and ended at Dorina Crossing in Dharmatala, was attended by thousands and was heavily guarded by nearly 1,500 police personnel. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) also held similar protests across district headquarters towns in the state.
Protest speech
CM slams BJP
During the protest, Banerjee slammed the BJP for allegedly labeling all Bengali-speaking people as "Bangladeshi Rohingyas." She said, "Rohingyas live in Myanmar. Here, all citizens of West Bengal have proper ID cards and identification." "The laborers who have gone outside Bengal have not gone on their own. They have been employed because they have skills... Anyone who speaks Bengali is being arrested and put behind bars. Why? Is West Bengal not a part of India?" she asked.
Election strategy
TMC highlights 'linguistic profiling'
The TMC is using these protests to highlight what it calls a pattern of linguistic profiling and illegal detentions, especially with the West Bengal assembly elections approaching next year. The party's decision to hold such public events comes after recent incidents like the detention of migrant workers in Odisha and eviction drives in Delhi. Against this backdrop, the TMC is employing the "outsider" strategy to combat the primary opposition party, the BJP.
SIR
'Names not on voter list could be jailed'
Also countering the BJP's claim that her government is supporting Bangladeshi infiltrators, she stated, "The border is under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Why aren't they stopping the infiltrators?" "They are saying they will check the 2002 voter list. So many people have died, so many babies have been born. When the voter list revision begins, skip work if need be, but ensure your name is on the list (to avoid jail)," she said.
Counter allegations
Adhikari raises questions on appointments in posts
Reacting to the rally, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that this is a tactic to divert attention from issues like job losses among Bengali-speaking teachers due to corruption. He said that the entire "Bengali asmita" exercise is being used to conceal the presence of "Bengali-speaking Rohingyas and illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators." Adhikari also raised questions on appointments in top administrative and police posts under Banerjee's administration, citing instances where senior officers were overlooked for junior out-of-state appointees.