West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the party of orchestrating a campaign of targeted persecution against Bengali-speaking residents in Jai Hind Colony, located in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area.
In a strongly worded statement posted on social media, Banerjee expressed deep concern over reports of forced evictions, utility disconnections, and harassment of Bengali migrant workers. She alleged that the BJP-led administration had ordered the cutoff of water and electricity, confiscated meters, and blocked private water tankers arranged by residents, despite the matter being sub judice.
“How can we claim to be a democratic republic if the basic rights to shelter, water, electricity are being trampled upon?” Banerjee wrote.
The Chief Minister described the residents of Jai Hind Colony as part of Delhi’s unorganised workforce, asserting that they had contributed significantly to the city’s development. She warned that the BJP’s actions amounted to criminalising the identity and language of Bengali-speaking Indians, and accused the party of treating them as infiltrators in their own country.
Banerjee further alleged that the BJP, having failed to gain political ground in West Bengal, was now strategically targeting Bengalis in other BJP-ruled states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh. She cited similar incidents of harassment and detention of Bengali-speaking individuals in these regions, including a recent case in Jharsuguda, Odisha, where migrant workers were allegedly detained despite possessing valid documents.
“Speaking Bengali does not make one a Bangladeshi. These individuals are as much citizens of India as anyone else, regardless of what language they speak,” Banerjee asserted.
Declaring that “Bengal will not remain silent,” she vowed to raise the issue in every possible forum, calling for solidarity with all oppressed voices and demanding accountability from the central government.
The BJP has yet to issue an official response to Banerjee’s allegations. However, the controversy has reignited debates over linguistic identity, migrant rights, and federal governance, with political observers anticipating further escalation in the run-up to upcoming elections.
