Mamata Banerjee Leads Protest Against Alleged Persecution of Bengali Speakers

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, emphasizing her Bengali identity, spearheaded a significant protest march in Kolkata against the alleged mistreatment of Bengali speakers in BJP-ruled states, even amidst heavy rainfall. This rally, held in the heart of Kolkata, also showcased unity as it saw participation from top leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress, including Abhishek Banerjee. Despite the downpour, chants of 'Shame on BJP' echoed along the three-kilometer route, with around 1,500 police personnel ensuring security throughout the event. Following the rally, Mamata addressed the crowd, challenging the central government to imprison her in a detention camp.

She declared her intention to primarily communicate in Bengali, stating, 'Put me in a detention camp. BJP, just wait and see.' The recent detention of 444 suspected Bangladeshi nationals in Jharsuguda, Odisha, has sparked a fresh dispute between the TMC and BJP, with TMC claiming that around 200 of those detained were migrant workers from Bengal. The Trinamool Congress wasted no time in taking to the streets to defend the rights and dignity of Bengali-speaking migrant workers, who number approximately 2.2 million across various states.

Mamata further criticized the BJP government for issuing a notification instructing the arrest of suspected Bangladeshi nationals and their placement in detention camps, which has been disseminated to all BJP-ruled states. 'We will challenge this notification. How can you imprison every Bengali speaker? The citizens of West Bengal possess identification documents. They work in other states due to their skills. They will be employed, but if they speak Bengali, they will be arrested. Who gave you this authority? Is Bengal not a part of India?' she questioned.