West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee and senior party leaders, led a massive protest march in Kolkata on Wednesday, alleging targeted harassment of Bengali-speaking people in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The demonstration, which saw participation from ministers, MLAs, and grassroots workers, was positioned as a show of solidarity with Bengalis living outside West Bengal.
In a post on X, the TMC said, “BJP’s assault on Bengali identity is no longer covert — it’s brutal, deliberate, and fuelled by hate. Under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, we hit the streets today in fierce defiance. Every injustice will be met with resistance.”
Key Allegations Raised by TMC:
- The illegal detention and harassment of six members of the Matua community — including minors — in Maharashtra, despite possessing valid identification.
- Bengali-speaking residents in Delhi’s Jai Hind Colony were reportedly harassed and labelled as illegal, even after providing verified documentation.
- TMC also condemned a statement by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, where he allegedly claimed that those writing “Bengali” as their mother tongue in Census documents would be counted as foreigners in Assam.
The TMC accused the BJP of promoting racial profiling and persecution of Bengalis across states, alleging this was part of a broader agenda to target Bengali-speaking citizens, especially in BJP’s “double-engine” states.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma rejected the allegations, stating the TMC was distorting his remarks to shield illegal Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh.
“The recent attempt by the TMC to distort my remarks and portray our stance as anti-Bengali is nothing but a desperate ploy to shield infiltrators,” Sarma posted on X.
Wednesday’s rally is being seen as a politically strategic move by the TMC to galvanise support ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, using the emotive issue of Bengali identity and dignity to counter the BJP’s narrative.