We can sacrifice our lives but wont tolerate insult of Bengali language: Mamata Banerjee weaponises migrant workers harassment in other states
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vehemently denounced the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in various Indian states. She accused the BJP of perpetuating this oppression and highlighted instances of wrongful arrests and torture.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again harped on the issue of 'Bengali-Bangladeshi' and the row over the language.
CM Banerjee has once again taken a dig at the harassment of migrant workers over Bengali identity and fired cannon after cannon at the harassment of Bengalis in other states. She once again raised the issue at the inauguration of a group of projects at an administrative meeting in Ilambazar, Birbhum.
She said, "We will not tolerate oppression of language. We will not tolerate attacks on the language of Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji. We are willing to give our lives! But we will not tolerate oppression of language and oppression of intellectuals."
Immediately after that, Mamata targeted the opposition and said, "Earlier, we had to endure the oppression of CPM; now we have to endure the oppression of the BJP." Recently, there have been allegations of harassment of migrant workers from Bengal in several BJP-ruled states.
As per reports, migrant workers who speak Bengali are being arrested because police suspect they are Bangladeshis. Also, those detained workers are being tortured. Mamata had already taken to the streets on July 16 to protest on this issue. She was also vocal from the stage on July 21 during TMC's annual Martyrs' Day rally.
About a day ago, around 200 migrant workers returned to South Dinajpur by renting a bus due to fear of persecution. This time, Mamata gave a message to the migrant workers as well. She said that Bengalis are being severely oppressed in Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Lakhs of people from Assam have been sent to detention camps.
She said that there is no shortage of work in Bengal and asked migrant workers to come back to the state. Mamata added, "Whatever they do outside, they will do in Bengal too. We will provide all facilities. There will be one lakh employment opportunities in Deucha Pachami. A global tender has been called for work worth Rs 30 thousand crore in Deucha Pachami."