TMC MPs Rally in Parliament Against Alleged Persecution of Bengali Migrants

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs staged a spirited demonstration within the Parliament complex on Monday, decrying the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Brandishing placards with slogans like “Stop Insulting Bengal” and portraits of icons like Rabindranath Tagore and Subhas Chandra Bose, the MPs accused BJP-ruled states of systematically targeting Bengalis, including branding them as “Bangladeshi infiltrators” and denying the legitimacy of the Bengali language.

TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee led the charge, stating to PTI, “Bengali language is being insulted in BJP-ruled states. Bengalis are being arrested, and they claim Bengali is not a language. We will not tolerate this.” The protest, held ahead of an opposition demonstration on Bihar’s voter roll revision, reflects TMC’s ongoing campaign during the Monsoon Session to highlight the plight of Bengali migrants, particularly in states like Odisha, Haryana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh.

The TMC alleges that Bengali-speaking workers, many of whom are daily wage earners, face unlawful detention, physical abuse, and coercion to admit foreign nationality despite possessing valid documents like Aadhaar and voter IDs. A recent X post by TMC claimed 60 migrant workers from Dakshin Dinajpur were tortured and extorted by Delhi Police, with bribes demanded up to ₹7 lakh. On July 14, TMC MP Samirul Islam filed a Supreme Court PIL, prompting the court to seek responses from the Union government and states like Odisha and Rajasthan by August 25.

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The issue has fueled a heated political clash, with TMC accusing the BJP of “linguistic terrorism” and the BJP countering that TMC protects illegal immigrants for votes. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has vowed to fight for Bengali rights, warning of electoral consequences in 2029. As tensions rise, the protests underscore deep concerns about linguistic identity and migrant rights in India.

Also Read: Monsoon Session: TMC MPs Demand Urgent Debate on Bengali Migrant Attacks, Voter Roll Revision