KOLKATA: The alleged harassment, persecution, and illegal deportation of Bengali-speaking people of India by the BJP governments in various states has now grabbed international attention as the New York-based multi-country NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has highlighted the issue.
Citing a report of the HRW, Trinamool Congress Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday took to X to vehemently attack the BJP, while saying, “Now, even international human rights organisations have started taking note of the linguistic terrorism unleashed in India. This must stop at once!!”
Within half-an-hour, the West Bengal state BJP countered her, while alleging that ‘the deep state is rattled by the deportation of illegal Bangladeshi Muslims’, suggesting George Soros is closely linked to HRW.
Going a step further head of BJP’s National IT cell Amit Malviya said, “Is Mamata Banerjee now playing playing into the hands of George Soros? On one hand, she’s seemingly inviting foreign interference in India’s internal affairs. On the other, she’s echoing the exact narrative pushed by organisations like Human Rights Watch — a body heavily funded by George Soros, notorious for its anti-India bias.”
Earlier, in a post on X Banerjee said, “The internationally reputed and New York-based multi-country NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has also now highlighted the issue of harassment, persecution, and illegal deportation of Bengali-speaking people of India by the BJP governments in various States.”
“The human rights organisation has released a report saying what we have been saying: Bengali-speaking Indians (of different castes and communities) are being arbitrarily abused and pushed out in a concerted manner by the BJP establishment,” the post added.
Quoting Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at HRW, Banerjee said that BJP is fuelling discrimination by arbitrarily expelling Bengalis from the country, including Indian citizens.
“The authorities' claims that they are managing irregular migration are unconvincing. HRW reports that this has been happening systematically in the BJP-ruled States of Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Delhi, following a directive by the Ministry of Home, Government of India. Shame!!” She added.
West Bengal state BJP also rushed to X to counter Banerjee. In a post, the West Bengal state BJP said: “The deep state is rattled by the deportation of illegal Bangladeshi Muslims. No wonder TMC is panicking as many of its MPs are part of that very ecosystem. George Soros is the force behind them. This was always a larger conspiracy to change India's demography and weaken the country from within!!”
On the other hand, Malviya explained, “The Special Intensive Revision (S.I.R.) is a constitutional exercise, aimed at ensuring a clean, transparent, and accurate voter list. No foreign-funded NGO or politically motivated lobby will dictate how India protects its democracy.”
Alleging the Trinamool Congress Chief, he said, “Once again, Mamata Banerjee appears to be stoking unrest, just as she did during the CAA protests, all for narrow political gains. India belongs to Indians, not to the puppets of foreign lobbies.”