Shocking Crackdown: Are Bengali Migrant Workers Being Unfairly Targeted in BJP States?

 A brewing storm in West Bengal has thrust the issue of Bengali-speaking migrant workers into the political spotlight, with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) accusing BJP-governed states of orchestrating a targeted campaign against them. The TMC claims that states like Odisha, Assam, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat are engaging in “systematic harassment” under the pretext of national security, reigniting the party’s powerful Bengali pride narrative ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

The controversy erupted after several incidents, including the detention of 444 Bengali workers in Odisha last week, with 50 released only after proving their Indian citizenship. In Maharashtra, at least seven individuals were deported in June without proper verification, only to be repatriated after legal intervention confirmed their identity. In Delhi, the abrupt disconnection of electricity and water in a Bengali-majority neighborhood has further fueled allegations of discrimination.

TMC leaders, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, are framing these incidents as an attack on Bengali identity. Banerjee will lead a massive protest in Kolkata on July 16, condemning what the party calls “linguistic profiling” and “criminalization of the poor.” TMC MP Samirul Islam stated, “Over 1.5 crore Bengali workers contribute to India’s economy with dignity. Speaking Bengali doesn’t make them infiltrators—it’s an insult to our culture.”

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The TMC estimates that 22.5 lakh Bengali-speaking workers are employed nationwide in low-wage sectors like construction and factories. Party leader Firhad Hakim accused the BJP of harboring “anti-Bengali bias,” while Minister Manas Bhunia warned that voters would “respond to this humiliation” in the polls. Sociologist Supriya Basu called the crackdowns “an attempt to impose a uniform cultural narrative,” linking them to broader Hindutva politics.

The BJP, however, has doubled down, citing national security concerns. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that many detained workers in Odisha had “questionable documents,” while Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya accused the TMC of shielding illegal immigrants for electoral gains. “These workers return to Bengal to vote for TMC, posing a demographic threat,” Bhattacharya alleged. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari further claimed the TMC is “exploiting the victim card” to distract from its governance failures.

Opposition parties like Congress and CPI(M) have criticized the detentions but distanced themselves from TMC’s regionalist rhetoric. CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said, “Migrant rights must be protected, but TMC’s narrative is a political ploy to mask its own shortcomings.”

Analysts see this as a strategic pivot for TMC, which has been under pressure recently. “Bengali pride is a tried-and-tested formula for TMC,” said political observer Suman Bhattacharya. “This issue could galvanize voters, just as it did in 2021.” After briefly focusing on national ambitions and inducting non-Bengali leaders, the TMC appears to be returning to its regional roots, betting on the emotive power of identity politics.

As the 2026 elections loom, the clash over Bengali migrant workers could reshape West Bengal’s political landscape. Will TMC’s “Bengali vs outsider” narrative spark a new wave of support, or will the BJP’s security-focused rhetoric gain traction? The battle lines are drawn, and the coming months will reveal which narrative prevails.

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