West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee fiercely criticized the BJP, accusing it of orchestrating targeted harassment of Bengali migrant workers in Delhi’s Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj. In a scathing Facebook post, Banerjee condemned the BJP-led administration for cutting off water and electricity, confiscating meters, and blocking private water tankers, alleging these actions were part of a forced eviction drive despite ongoing legal proceedings. She described the predominantly Bengali-speaking residents, who work in Delhi’s unorganized sector, as victims of a broader “anti-Bengali” campaign by the BJP across states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh.

Banerjee asserted that the BJP, having failed to dominate West Bengal politically, is now “exporting its Bangla-Birodhi agenda” nationwide, treating Bengali speakers as “infiltrators in their own country.” She emphasized that speaking Bengali does not equate to being Bangladeshi, noting that 1.5 crore migrant workers live with dignity in Bengal. “How can we claim to be a democratic republic when basic rights to shelter, water, and electricity are trampled upon?” she questioned, vowing to raise the issue in every possible forum.

The controversy follows a political clash on July 9, when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the BJP-led Odisha government of illegally detaining Bengali-speaking workers in Jharsuguda, a claim Odisha Police rejected, citing invalid documentation. Posts on X echoed Banerjee’s outrage, with TMC supporters and activists alleging state-sponsored persecution and land grabs in Jai Hind Colony, home to over 1,200 Bengali Muslims working as domestic and sanitation workers. The BJP has not yet responded to these specific allegations, but the escalating rhetoric signals intensifying tensions ahead of future electoral battles.

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