AMN / Kolkata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday led a high-voltage protest march in Kolkata against what she called the “systematic harassment and profiling” of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states. Accompanied by Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and several senior party leaders, Mamata walked with thousands of supporters from College Square to Dorina Crossing in Dharmatala.
The nearly 3-km-long rally route was fortified with heavy police deployment — around 1,500 personnel were stationed to maintain order, and traffic diversions caused major disruptions in central Kolkata.
Addressing the crowd, Mamata launched a fierce attack on the BJP, accusing it of branding Bengali speakers as “Rohingyas” or “illegal immigrants”. “Is Bengal not part of India? Why is anyone who speaks Bengali being targeted and arrested?” she asked. “This insult to Bengali identity is unacceptable. I am ashamed of the BJP’s attitude,” she added.
Similar demonstrations were also held across district headquarters in the state — a rare move so close to the party’s annual Shahid Dibas rally on July 21, indicating heightened political stakes.
The protests come just a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state, and with assembly elections due in mid-2026, the TMC appears to be ramping up its identity-based campaign, highlighting alleged linguistic discrimination, detentions, and eviction drives in states like Odisha, Delhi, and Assam.
Countering the TMC narrative, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused Mamata of shielding infiltrators and ignoring real issues, including the plight of unemployed Bengali teachers. He also questioned the appointment of non-Bengali officers to top bureaucratic positions in the state.
The TMC, however, dismissed his remarks, with Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim stating, “Adhikari is trying to curry favour with Delhi. Bengal will not be misled.”