July 16, 2025
We will not tolerate atrocities against Bengalis: Mamata Banerjee
In protest against the harassment of Bengalis in other states, the Trinamool Congress took to the streets today. The rally was led by Mamata Banerjee, accompanied by Abhishek Banerjee, Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Shashi Panja, Dola Sen and several other senior leaders.
Here are the highlights of Mamata Banerjee’s speech at the rally in Dharmatala:
This time, nearly 27,000 lakh cubic metres of water was released from the DVC and Panchet dams. As a result, people across Bengal—in Birbhum, parts of West Midnapore, Jhargram, parts of Bardhaman, Hooghly, Howrah, parts of Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas—have been flooded. We held a meeting yesterday for them. We will do everything we can. You all must stand by them.
I will not say everything today. You must come on July 21. I am extending an invitation to all of you for the July 21 gathering.
There is much less waterlogging in Kolkata now. Only one or two wards get waterlogged. Earlier, even a little rain would cause a lot of waterlogging. Now, 99 per cent of the city does not face waterlogging; the remaining parts will be made waterlogging-free by 2026.
I am deeply ashamed, hurt, saddened and shocked by the behaviour of the government of India and the BJP. The Indian government has issued a notification, which we will challenge. They secretly issued the notification and sent it to BJP-ruled states. It clearly states that if anyone is suspected [of being a Bangladeshi]—simply on the basis of their speaking Bengali—they will be arrested and kept in detention camps. Even if someone visits a relative’s house, this is happening.
I respect people of all languages. I respect every Indian. But we will not tolerate atrocities against Bengalis.
Has BJP become the landlord of the country? They are sending anyone to jail as they please. If someone speaks in Bengali, they are calling them a Bangladeshi or a Rohingya. But Bangladesh is a separate country. Rohingyas are from Myanmar. How is that our concern? Citizens of West Bengal have Aadhaar cards, PAN cards. There are 22 lakh Bengali migrant workers. They could live much better in Bengal. On the one hand, you will make them work, but if they speak Bengali, you’ll put them in jail, in detention camps? Why? By what right? Is West Bengal not a part of India?
Why do you hate Bengalis? What have they done to you? Rabindranath Tagore celebrated Rakhshabandhan. Both the Indian and Bangladeshi national anthems were written by him. Wasn’t ‘Jana Gana Mana’ written by a Bengali? Back then, the country stood united.
The Union Home Minister controls the CISF and CRPF. Air travel comes under the Union Civil Aviation Ministry. Monitoring infiltration is the job of the Central government.
I’ve heard that in Bihar, 30.5 lakh votes have been deleted. The BJP won in Maharashtra by doing such things. Otherwise, they couldn’t have won. They did the same in Delhi. Now they are planning to do it in Bihar too. The people of Bihar are our brothers and sisters. The BJP is planning the same for Bengal. We will fight against every injustice. We will not give up even one inch without a fight.
People are being suddenly arrested while working. Even after showing documents, they are being taken to jail. Their elderly mothers, wives and children are also being taken. What crime have they committed? Speaking in Bengali? The Centre should remember that our state also has over 1.5 crore migrant workers. We never treat them like this. We give other states’ migrant workers respect, and you insult ours.
In Maharashtra, there have been atrocities against the Matua-speaking people. During elections, you beg for their votes at their homes while at other times, you oppress them. Udayan knows how many Rajbanshis have been pushed back into Bangladesh and kept in jail. People from Nadia have been detained in Chhattisgarh. In Delhi, water and electricity connections of people from West Bengal have been cut off.
After getting reports from Chhattisgarh, Mahua Moitra went there to help the Bengali-speaking people of Nadia. In Delhi too, she staged a 48-hour sit-in protest for harassed Bengalis. The Assam government has sent notices to residents of Cooch Behar. What right do they have?
