Amid push back against Bengalis, TMC MP Mahua Moitra alleges harassment of labourers from Bengal in Chhattisgarh
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused Chhattisgarh police of illegally detaining nine Bengali workers, sparking concerns about escalating persecution of Bengalis across India. MP Mahua Moitra alleges the workers, who were employed in Kondagaon, were jailed without due process, despite possessing valid documents.
Kolkata: The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), the ruling party in West Bengal, has once again levelled allegations of Bengalis facing harassment in other states as police are suspecting them of being 'Bangladeshis'.
After Odisha and Delhi, Bengalis are reportedly being persecuted in Chhattisgarh too. Krishnanagar Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra posted a video on her X handle, saying that the state police have forcibly detained nine Bengalis who were going to work in Chhattisgarh. The MP alleges that the Bengali workers have been kept in jail despite having proper documents.
Mahua posted the video on Monday night. She said that nine residents of her Lok Sabha constituency had gone to do masonry work at a school in Kondagaon district of Chhattisgarh. But last Saturday, the police suddenly picked them up from their residence in the state. Despite having documents, 9 Bengali workers were kept in jail.
She further said that their phones were taken away, so their family members could not contact them. Even after three days, it is still not known where the nine workers are. She wrote on X, "State sponsored kidnapping by @CG_Police of 9 persons. Picked up & sent to jail under 128 BNSS illegally with NO detention order copy, no hearing, no lawyers. No contact with detainees. @ChhattisgarhCMO @DGP_CG"
The local police superintendent told Mahua that there are allegations of rape of tribals against Bengalis. But the Trinamool MP expressed her anger by mentioning the way in which the nine people were detained without due process.
It is worth noting that persecution of Bengalis is going on across the country. In many states, Bengalis are being branded as Bangladeshis. Complaints of harassment of Bengalis are being continuously raised in several states, starting from Odisha and Delhi's Jai Hind Colony. They are being tortured for speaking Bengali. Electricity and water connections are also being disconnected. A few days ago, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her anger over this on X handle. She is also taking to the streets to protest against the harassment of Bengalis. The incident of harassment in Chhattisgarh came to light shortly after the announcement of that rally.