Bengali Pride vs National Politics: Mamata Banerjee Fights Back

Escalating her attack on the ruling BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Union government of targeting the state's Bengali-speaking people. Banerjee claimed that the government aims to label them as 'Bangladeshi' or 'Rohingya', further alleging a conspiracy to disenfranchise them by removing their names from the voter list.

Speaking from a government platform for the first time, Banerjee alleged a targeted deportation threat against Bengali speakers. She challenged the BJP to prove its claims about the presence of 17 lakh Rohingyas, asserting that linguistic identity is being weaponized for political ends and affirming that Bengali remains one of the most spoken languages globally.

Banerjee condemned the BJP's governance approach, suggesting a lack of cultural understanding and stressing the significance of inclusive politics. Asserting the historical context of Indo-Bangladesh relations, she reaffirmed her commitment to the state's welfare initiatives amid alleged central financial blockades. In a pointed critique, Banerjee emphasized the political ramifications of the BJP's actions as she gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)