The Trinamool Congress sharply condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party following the lynching of 21-year-old Juel Sheikh, a Bengali Muslim migrant worker from West Bengal's Murshidabad district, in Odisha's Sambalpur district. The TMC described the fatal assault as a direct consequence of what it termed the BJP's prolonged campaign portraying Bengali-speaking citizens as infiltrators or illegal immigrants. The party asserted that such inflammatory rhetoric has emboldened mobs to target individuals based on language and perceived origin.

The incident unfolded on Wednesday night in Shantinagar under Ainthapalli police station limits, where Sheikh and fellow migrant workers employed in construction were confronted by a group of six local men. Authorities reported that the confrontation began over a minor request for a bidi, escalating into a violent scuffle during which Sheikh was severely beaten. He succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at a local hospital, with all six accused subsequently arrested by police.

Trinamool Congress leaders highlighted a pattern of increasing violence against Bengali-speaking migrant workers in states governed by the BJP, particularly Odisha. Rajya Sabha MP Sheikh Samirul Islam noted that approximately 30 lakh labourers from West Bengal are engaged in unorganised sectors outside the state, emphasising that the West Bengal government has approached the Supreme Court seeking intervention and justice in related cases.

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly voiced concerns over the harassment faced by these workers, previously encouraging their return and entrepreneurship within West Bengal. The state has initiated efforts to compile a comprehensive registry of migrant labourers through outreach programmes, while the Shramasree scheme provides financial support, including one-time assistance and monthly allowances, to facilitate rehabilitation for returning individuals.

The TMC accused BJP leaders of fostering a toxic narrative over years that labels Bengali-speaking Indians as outsiders or suspects, arguing that this discourse has permeated society, enabling ordinary citizens to assume roles of vigilantes. As arrests proceed and investigations continue, the episode has intensified political discourse on migrant safety and the impact of divisive rhetoric on communal harmony.

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