Protests Erupt in Kolkata Over Migrant Worker Violence: What’s Behind the Growing Tensions?
Congress Protests Against Violence Towards Bengali Migrant Workers
Kolkata/Sambalpur: On Tuesday, Congress organized a demonstration outside Utkal Bhavan in Kolkata to protest the murder of a migrant worker from Murshidabad district in Odisha. The party highlighted a disturbing trend of violence against Bengali-speaking laborers in various states.
The protest was spearheaded by Congress leader Manoj Chakraborty, who pointed out that the recent incident in Odisha, where a young man from Murshidabad was reportedly beaten to death, underscores a worrying pattern of harassment faced by Bengali migrant workers.
Chakraborty asserted that workers from West Bengal are being specifically targeted and subjected to 'torture' in states like Odisha, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, often simply for communicating in Bengali.
"These workers are compelled to leave their homes due to a lack of job opportunities. When they seek employment in other states, they face attacks based on their identity," Chakraborty remarked to reporters during the protest.
He called for immediate government action to ensure the safety of migrant workers through institutional measures. He urged the authorities to issue official identity cards to all migrant workers as soon as possible.
"These identity cards should clearly indicate the worker's home district, the local police station, and a police officer's contact number, enabling them to seek immediate assistance while working outside their home state," he added.
Chakraborty warned that such violent incidents would persist unless effective measures are implemented to safeguard migrant workers.
Recently, a 30-year-old migrant worker from West Bengal was reportedly killed in Sambalpur district, Odisha, following a dispute over a bidi. Police reported that Juel Sheikh was working with other West Bengal laborers on a construction site in Shanti Nagar.
While returning from work, they were confronted by a group of six men who requested a bidi. An argument ensued, escalating into a physical confrontation, according to police.
Juel was severely beaten and succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at a hospital in Sambalpur. The police have arrested the six individuals involved in the incident.
The ruling TMC in West Bengal alleged that Juel was killed due to suspicions that he was an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant.