Kolkata: Intensifying her criticism of the BJP-led Centre, without naming any party directly, over the Bengali language, Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday cautioned against disrespecting the Bengali language, highlighting that it was the language in which Rabindranath Tagore wrote the national anthem and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed the national song.
Asking whether there can be an India without Bengal, Banerjee said that a language which Swami Vivekananda or Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose used to speak cannot be dubbed as “Bangladeshi language”. “Nobody should try to play with our language or insult it,” she said, asking, “Can there be Bharat without Bangla?”
Without taking the name of the BJP, Banerjee said: “Swamiji used to speak in Bengali. Be it Swamiji or Netaji, they taught us through their words. They don’t even understand the teachings of the Vedas. Do they even know the meaning of Dharma? Dharma also means respecting and nurturing other religions. There has been a Muslim Dargah in Belur Math since Swamiji’s time. Now they are creating division and even claiming that there’s no such language as Bengali!”
Pointing to the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, she said: “I believe in Ramakrishna Paramahansa’s teaching of harmony of all religions.” She was speaking at Ramakrishna Math and Mission at Kamarpukur in Hooghly. Stating that Swami Vivekananda had taught that ‘unity is strength’, Banerjee said that his mother tongue was Bengali language, just as it was of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose or Raja Rammohan Roy. Urging all to read Ramakrishna Paramahansa’s ‘Kathamrita’, she stated that Dharma’s is meant to treat other religions with love and respect.
Banerjee also slammed the Centre over the Ghatal flood crisis and asserted that her government may build dams if required after the 2026 Assembly elections to stop the water released from DVC dams.
She also pointed out that her government won’t tolerate this injustice post-2026.
While reviewing the flood-affected areas of Ghatal in West Midnapore, Banerjee on Tuesday announced that the state government will begin work to resolve Ghatal’s decades-old flood crisis after the monsoon season ends.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Ghatal MP Deepak Adhikari (Dev) during her visit. She also distributed relief materials to flood-affected residents.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee had also visited Arambagh in the Hooghly district to assess the flood situation there.
She stated that her government will begin dredging or silt removal across 25 km of rivers surrounding Ghatal once the rains subside.
Additionally, to address the persistent water-logging issue in Ghatal’s municipal areas, the state government will install pumps at a cost of Rs 7 crore. The tendering process for both these projects has already been completed, she added.
The flood situation resulting from the release of water from DVC dams, such as Maithon and Panchet, has consistently been a matter of concern for the Bengal government.
Significant parts of South Bengal, including West Midnapore, Hooghly and Howrah, have been affected by floods owing to heavy rains and overflowing rivers.
Banerjee attacked the DVC on Monday, claiming that the Central agency’s discharge of water from its reservoirs soared to an unprecedented 30 times this year compared to 2023, leading to flooding of several low-lying areas.
Later in the day, Mamata Banerjee wrote on her X handle: “Today, I visited Ramakrishna Math in Kamarpukur, laid foundation stones for key infrastructure, and announced a ₹10 crore corpus for the new Joyrambati-Kamarpukur Development Board. I later visited flood-affected areas in Arambagh and Ghatal, overseeing relief efforts despite the Centre’s financial blockade. The unilateral release of water by DVC has worsened the situation. I reiterated our commitment to the people through the ₹1,500 crore Ghatal Master Plan. I also raised concerns over attempts to delegitimise the Bengali language and disenfranchise voters. The warmth and support I received across districts reaffirmed my resolve to serve and fight for Bengal’s rights...”