KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that it was targeting Bengali migrant workers in Delhi’s Jai Hind Colony and spreading its anti-Bengali agenda beyond the state's borders.
The CM termed the move "BJP’s anti-Bengali agenda to other parts of the country in a strategic and systemic manner".
In response, BJP leader Jagannath Chattopadhyay compared Delhi's Jai Hind Colony, where 26 illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators were recently identified, with Kolkata's Gulshan Colony, where he alleged the number of Aadhaar cards were much higher than the population itself.
Banerjee took to social media platform X to accuse the BJP for targeting Bengali migrant workers, and vowed to raise this issue in every possible forum.
She wrote that she was "deeply disturbed by the alarming news of harassment emerging from Jai Hind Colony in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi — a settlement predominantly inhabited by Bengalis who build the city as part of its unorganised workforce."
"Their water supply was reportedly cut on orders from the BJP-led government. Electricity meters were confiscated and power was abruptly cut the day before yesterday. Residents also claim Delhi Police, backed by RAF personnel, blocked private water tankers they had arranged and paid for," she added.
She further said that a "forced eviction is currently underway despite the matter being sub-judice following another transgression last December by Delhi Police. How can we claim to be a democratic republic if the basic rights to shelter, water, electricity are being trampled upon?"
She stated that such actions amounted to criminalising the identity and language of Bengali-speaking Indians, and accused the BJP of treating them as "infiltrators in their own country."
She alleged that the BJP, after having "failed in their attempts to deprive Bengalis in West Bengal", was now "strategically targeting" Bengalis across BJP-ruled states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh.
"There are over 1.5 crore migrant workers in Bengal who live with dignity. But the same cannot be said for BJP-ruled states, where Bengalis are being treated as infiltrators in their own country. Speaking Bengali does not make one a Bangladeshi. These individuals are as much citizens of India as anyone else, regardless of what language they speak," Banerjee said.
"We will not remain silent while people from Bengal are treated like trespassers in their own country. Bengal stands in solidarity with every oppressed voice. We will raise this issue in every possible forum," she declared.
The development comes a day after a political slugfest erupted on Wednesday as West Bengal's ruling TMC accused the BJP-led Odisha government of illegally detaining Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Jharsuguda district despite having valid documents, a charge promptly dismissed by Odisha Police citing lack of "verifiable papers."
The ruling party of West Bengal demanded their immediate release and warned of a larger political movement if such "targeted harassment" continues.
A senior Odisha Police officer, however, said the detained people lack valid documents to establish their residency or citizenship.
Reacting to Banerjee’s allegations, BJP leader Jagannath Chattopadhyay claimed that the Mamata-led TMC government in West Bengal has been instructed to undermine steps taken by other states to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators and deport them.
The BJP claimed that about 25,000 illegal infiltrators have already been sent back to Bangladesh from different parts of the country.
According to Chattopadhyay, Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments, states that are not led by the BJP, have so far identified most illegal infiltrators.
The BJP leader said, "Aadhaar cards, voter cards and ration cards have been recovered from those illegal infiltrators. The Union Home Ministry said in a statement that most of the recovered cards were made in North 24 Parganas."
Meanwhile, in a post on X, the Trinamool Congress alleged that Five labourers from Hariharpara in West Bengal, who went to Odisha seeking job have been thrown behind bars on the baseless charge of being "Bangladeshi nationals." They have been languishing in lock-up for 15 days, the party claimed.
"This is not an isolated incident. From Gujarat to Maharashtra to Madhya Pradesh, @BJP4India-ruled states are running coordinated crackdowns on Bengali-speaking workers. Valid documents are ignored, and citizenship is questioned simply because of their identity. This is institutionalised targeting. This is XENOPHOBIC ABUSE of POWER. And we will resist every bit of it. BENGAL will NOT BOW DOWN to INJUSTICE," the post added.