KOLKATA: Actor and BJP National Executive member Mithun Chakraborty on Thursday refuted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegation that Bengali-speaking migrant workers were being harassed and tortured in various BJP-ruled states.
After attending an organizational meeting of the BJP in Kolkata, he said, “These are all lies. I opened a hotel in Bengaluru where most of the workers were Bengali migrants. There were no Bangladeshis. But if someone is Bangladeshi, he will obviously be identified as Bangladeshi.”
He was replying to a question of Banerjee’s allegation over attack on Bengali-speaking people form West Bengal in various BJP-ruled states.
In the Trinamool Congress’ ‘Martyrs’ Day’ rally on July 21, Banerjee had alleged that the Election Commission of India was working at the behest of the BJP, referring to the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.
“The BJP and the Election Commission are conspiring against West Bengal. They want to do in West Bengal what they did in Bihar through EC's SIR. If they try the same here, we will gherao them. We will never allow it,” she had threatened.
On Banerjee’s threat to gherao ECI, Chakraborty said, “She has no other option, but this will definitely happen. The Election Commission must act. Fake and bogus voters’ names have to be removed from the list and only then elections be fair.” “Even if the Commission is gheraoed, what will be achieved? What’s the point of such protests?” he added.
Meanwhile, armed with the order of the Patiala House Court on Thursday, the Trinamool Congress escalated its attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre. In an order, the Patiala House Court directed the Union Government to immediately restore the supply of water and electricity in Delhi’s Jai Hind Colony.
Alleging the ‘harassment and forced eviction of Bengali migrant workers’ in Jai Hind Colony, Banerjee had accused BJP of targeting Bengali migrant workers and vowed to raise this issue in every possible forum.
In a post on X on July 10, Banerjee had said, “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.”
Welcoming the order of the Patiala House Court, the Trinamool Congress said that this verdict exposes the unconstitutional and targeted harassment of Bengali migrant workers by the BJP-led Central Government.
In a post on X, the Trinamool Congress said, “The Patiala House Court has directed the Centre to immediately restore water and electricity to residents of Delhi’s Jai Hind Colony. This verdict exposes the unconstitutional and targeted harassment of Bengali migrant workers by the @BJP4India-led Central Government.”
“It is a significant step forward in the fight led by Smt. @MamataOfficial against the Centre’s continued oppression of Bengali-speaking communities,” the post added.
