TMC's Martyrs' Day Rally: Bengal's Battle for Identity

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is gearing up to use its annual Martyrs' Day rally as a powerful platform to bolster Bengali pride and challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over allegations of harassment against Bengali-speaking migrants.

With rising tensions over the linguistic profiling of Bengali migrant workers in states under BJP governance, the July 21 event in Kolkata's Esplanade aims to deliver a strong message from TMC chief Mamata Banerjee. The rally seeks to reiterate the sentiment that Bengalis are not second-class citizens in their own nation.

The TMC accuses the BJP of weaponizing identity and criminalizing poverty for political gains, while the BJP defends its stance by accusing the TMC of promoting infiltration. As the 2026 assembly elections loom, the rally appears to be a prelude to an intense electoral struggle, with a focus on regional identity and pride.

(With inputs from agencies.)