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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit the streets in Kolkata against the targeting of Bengali migrants in BJP-ruled States
| Photo Credit:
DEBASISH BHADURI
Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre for its “policy of harassing” Bengali-speaking people across the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday warned the BJP of dire political consequences if the party did not put an immediate stop to such actions.
Leading a protest march in Kolkata, Banerjee accused the BJP of targeting Bengali-speaking people in the States ruled by the saffron party.
Addressing a rally in Central Kolkata’s Esplanade area after the march, the CM said, “They (Central government) secretly issued a notification in February where it was mentioned that whoever they suspect, should be pushed to detention centres. They sent that notification to BJP-ruled States. We will challenge that notification. This is more than an Emergency. It is illegal detention.”
“I am ashamed and disheartened at the Centre and the BJP’s attitude towards Bengalis. If the illegal detention continues, I will speak in Bengali more — dare to arrest me,” added the Trinamool Congress supremo.
Poll-bound States
Banerjee further alleged that the Centre was influencing the Election Commission to achieve its political ambitions across States.
She had earlier accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of “acting like a stooge of the BJP”, wondering if the voter list revision was a “backdoor attempt” to implement the National Register of Citizens.
With less than a year left for the West Bengal Assembly elections, the ruling TMC has been raising its pitch over what it alleges is a systematic pattern of linguistic profiling, unlawful detentions, and attempts to brand Bengali speakers as “illegal immigrants”.
“What does the BJP think? They will hurt Bengalis? They are calling them Rohingya. Rohingya are in Myanmar, not here. Around 22 lakh poor migrant workers from Bengal are being targeted. I appeal to them to return home. They will be safe here. The BJP is sending Bengali-speaking people to detention camps. Is West Bengal not in India?” Banerjee asked on Wednesday.
‘Fear psychosis’
She further alleged that the BJP tampered with voter rolls to win elections in other States. “They deleted around 35.5 lakh voters in Bihar. They did the same thing in Maharashtra and Delhi and won. Now, they are trying the same in West Bengal and Bihar. We will not allow this in our State,” Banerjee added.
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari described the TMC supremo’s protest march as a rally to “protect the Rohingyas”.
“This rally was held to protect the Rohingyas. There was no participation of the common people,” Adhikari said. The BJP leader alleged that Bengal has become a hub of manufacturing fake Aadhaar cards.
“Mamata Banerjee is not worried about any change in the demography. She is only worried about the voters’ list. She is on the road because of fear psychosis. Because she knows that if, after Bihar, the ECI starts a random survey, then names of approximately one crore Rohingya would be cut off from the voters’ list,” he added.
Published on July 16, 2025
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