KOLKATA: SETTING the Trinamool Congress’ strategy for the West Bengal Assembly elections in 2026, party chief Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that “harassment” of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states won’t be tolerated and directed her party workers to launch a “language movement” on July 27 which will continue till the polls are over. She also called for ousting the BJP-led government at the Centre after 2026.
“We will get more seats in 2026 and then Delhi will be our next target. We will have to remove the BJP from power,” she said, addressing the TMC’s Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata.
“Our fight for identity and language will continue till the BJP is defeated, in the state and at the Centre. From July 27, we will launch a language movement against the BJP’s terrorism on Bengali language. The movement will start on Nanoor Divas in West Bengal, protesting attacks on Bengalis and will continue till Assembly polls next year,” she said.
Banerjee claimed that fearing development works in Bengal, the BJP is doing politics of deprivation. “Why have they unleashed terrorism on Bengali language? Bengal fought for independence. The renaissance has come from Bengal. If people of Bengal are arrested outside for speaking Bengali, this fight will take place in Delhi,” the Chief Minister said.
She alleged that over 1000 people have been thrown into jails in MP, Odisha and Rajasthan. “They (BJP) will decide who will eat fish, who will eat meat, who will eat eggs! A BJP leader is saying there are 17 lakh Rohingya in Bengal. Where did you find so many people in Bengal?” she asked. Citing a UN Report, the CM said 10 lakh Rohingya are in the world.
Earlier, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that 17 lakh Rohingya are living in Bengal under the shelter of the TMC government.
Upping her ante against the BJP, Banerjee alleged, “In 2019, they vandalised the statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Now, they have issued notifications to delete the names of Bengalis from the voter list. In BJP-ruled states, Bengalis are being put in detention camps.”
Attacking Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, she said, “He cannot handle his own state but is interfering in the affairs of Bengal. I urge Sushmita Dev to organise a massive protest in Assam. We will all join.” She claimed that Bengal hosts 1.5 crore migrants, but they have never faced any problem.
Banerjee said, “The BJP and Election Commission want to do in West Bengal what they did in Bihar through SIR. If they try the same here, we will gherao them.”