TMC slams BJP over ‘targeting’ of Bengali workers in other statesLast week, Odisha Police detained 444 workers from West Bengal on suspicion of being illegal immigrants; 50 were released after furnishing documents.In Delhi’s Jai Hind Colony, a Bengali-majority neighbourhood, electricity and water supply were snapped following a court order citing power theft—further fueling outrage.“There are over 1.5 crore migrant workers in Bengal who live with dignity. But Bengalis are being treated like infiltrators in BJP-ruled states,” said TMC MP Samirul Islam. “Speaking Bengali does not make someone Bangladeshi. This is nothing short of humiliation.”TMC leaders have claimed that over 22.5 lakh Bengali-speaking workers are employed across India in sectors like construction, brick kilns, factories, and informal jobs. By targeting these individuals, the BJP is showing “a deep-seated hatred for Bengalis,” the party alleges.“Our people are being criminalised simply because they are poor and speak Bengali,” said TMC leader Firhad Hakim. Minister Manas Bhunia added, “This reflects the BJP’s anti-Bengali mindset. The people of Bengal will answer this insult at the ballot box.”Sociologist Supriya Basu termed the events “a cultural imposition attempt,” saying, “Targeting migrants over language is part of an effort to push a North Indian Hindutva model into Bengal.”The BJP, however, has defended the crackdown, citing national security and illegal immigration. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that over 300 of the 444 detained in Odisha had “fake or unverifiable documents.” Newly appointed Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya went further, alleging a TMC-orchestrated infiltration plan.“These people work in other states and return to Bengal to vote for Mamata Banerjee. This is a demographic and national security threat,” Bhattacharya said. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari accused the TMC of “protecting infiltrators and playing the victimhood card.”
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