Mamata Banerjee to Launch Protest Series from Birbhum Over Alleged Mistreatment of Bengalis in BJP States

Birbhum: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a fresh wave of political protests starting Monday, voicing strong opposition to what she alleges is the systematic mistreatment of Bengali-speaking individuals in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The campaign, described by Banerjee as a new-age “Bhasha Andolan” (Language Movement), will begin with a rally in Birbhum district—a location chosen for its deep ties to Bengali cultural icons, particularly Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and the iconic Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Banerjee will arrive in Birbhum on Sunday night. On Monday, she will chair an administrative meeting in Bolpur and virtually inaugurate several state development projects. Later in the day, she is scheduled to lead a three-kilometre procession from the Tourist Lodge crossing to Jamboni bus stand.

The Chief Minister will also garland the statue of Tagore at Jamboni and deliver a speech from a makeshift stage, where she is expected to issue a clarion call to her party workers to resist the BJP’s alleged “discrimination” against Bengalis and protect the cultural and linguistic identity of the community.

Trinamool Congress leaders have said that Banerjee’s protest will not only highlight alleged attacks on Bengali migrant workers in BJP-ruled states but will also push back against the Centre’s political strategies in West Bengal. “We expect Didi to give us direction on how to take this fight forward. The targeting of our people cannot be ignored anymore,” said Asish Banerjee, chairperson of Trinamool’s Birbhum district committee.

However, the naming of the campaign as “Bhasha Andolan” has drawn criticism, with many pointing out that the term historically refers to the language movement in East Pakistan, which later led to the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. Critics say the appropriation of the term may distort its original context and significance.

The protest is also expected to serve as a platform for Mamata Banerjee to voice her disapproval of the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls—a move she views with suspicion, particularly after a similar exercise began in Bihar.

Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari has lashed out at the Chief Minister, accusing her of attempting to obstruct the SIR process to shield what he calls “illegal infiltrators” who support her politically. “Her protests are aimed at protecting her vote bank of illegal immigrants. Once SIR is done, they will be weeded out from the rolls, and that’s what she fears,” Adhikari said.

Before concluding her visit on Tuesday, the Chief Minister will attend another government event in Ilambazar, also in Birbhum district, and then return to Kolkata.

Banerjee’s movement is expected to continue in the coming weeks, marking the beginning of a sustained political campaign rooted in regional identity, cultural pride, and a direct challenge to the BJP’s narrative ahead of the 2026 elections.