Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused national commissions of turning a blind eye to the plight of Bengali-speaking people and victims of violence in BJP-ruled states, while being quick to intervene in West Bengal. She made the comments during an administrative meeting held in Illambazar, Birbhum district.
Taking aim at what she called the “selective activism” of national bodies, Banerjee said these commissions become hyperactive over minor issues in Bengal, but fail to act when serious atrocities occur elsewhere. She alleged that while incidents like sexual assaults and killings take place in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Odisha, the commissions remain silent and their members never bother to visit those states.
The Chief Minister expressed concern over what she described as targeted harassment of Bengali-speaking citizens in other states. She cited instances where families have had their electricity and water connections cut off, and said such treatment often goes unnoticed because of the victims’ linguistic identity. She alleged that Bengalis are being targeted because of their talent and contributions.
Banerjee also reached out to migrant workers from West Bengal who are living in other states for livelihood, urging them to return home. She assured them that her government would take steps to provide jobs, free rations, healthcare, and schooling for their children. She added that workers no longer need to endure humiliation outside the state when they could lead a dignified life in Bengal.
In a sharper political allegation, Banerjee claimed that the harassment of Bengali-speaking workers was being carried out under directives from the Union Home Ministry. She mentioned the existence of detention camps in Haryana’s Gurugram and referred to the situation in Assam, where lakhs had been detained in the past. She warned that similar steps might be taken in Bengal under the guise of a special intensive review by the Election Commission.
Banerjee further invoked history to accuse BJP leaders of betraying the legacy of Indian freedom fighters. She said those who had once aligned with colonial rulers were now suppressing communities that had made sacrifices for India’s independence. She accused them of fostering a “language terror” aimed at diminishing Bengali identity and voice.
Her remarks come amid heightened political rhetoric between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, with issues of migration, identity, and federalism increasingly becoming points of contention in national discourse.
