Mamata warns Centre of ‘dire political backlash’ if it doesn’t stop ‘harassing’ Bengali-speaking people

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP-led Centre for what she described as its policy of harassing and mistreating Bengali-speaking people across the country, warning of dire political consequences if such actions did not stop immediately.

Speaking after leading a rain-soaked protest rally—’Bangla Samman Bachao’ (save Bengal’s honour)—from College Street to Dorina Crossing in Esplanade, Banerjee dared the BJP to arrest her. “I have decided to speak more in Bangla from now on. Hold me in detention camps if you can. Even there, I will speak in Bengali,” she said.

The rally was organised in protest against the alleged illegal detention and deportation of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states such as Assam, Odisha, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The event was attended by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, senior party leaders, MPs, ministers and hundreds of supporters.

“I am ashamed and disheartened at the Centre and the BJP’s attitude towards Bengalis,” she said. “What right does the BJP have to harass Bengalis like this, even arresting them and forcefully pushing them to Bangladesh? Is Bengal not part of India?”

She accused the Centre of sending “surreptitious notices” to BJP-ruled states, leading to the detention of Bengali-speaking people on flimsy grounds. “Those who have PAN, Aadhaar and voter ID cards are being branded as ‘Rohingya’ just because they speak Bengali. The BJP is calling hardworking Indian citizens illegal immigrants. We won’t tolerate this.”

Referring to her party’s Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra’s visit to Chhattisgarh after reports of detentions, Banerjee said: “Let me work in Bengal. But if you disturb us, I will travel across the country. I will see how many detention camps you can put me in.”

She also claimed the Assam government had detained 12 lakh people “for not knowing Assamese”. “I am warning you. We don’t attack or twist words like you. We don’t speak the language you speak. But stop now or you’ll be in trouble,” she added.

Banerjee said there are 22 lakh migrant workers from Bengal working in other states with valid identity documents such as Aadhaar, EPIC and PAN cards. “We have never mistreated people from other states in Bengal. We respect all castes, creeds, religions and languages. So why are Bengalis being harassed?”

Alleging that the BJP was influencing the Election Commission of India for political gains, she warned: “Extreme situations call for extreme countermeasures. We will not fight you physically. But the Trinamool Congress knows how to make you stop.”

Reiterating her “Khela Hobey” slogan, Banerjee declared: “If Bengalis are sent to detention camps, the people of Bengal will send the BJP to a political detention camp through their votes in 2026.”

The Bengal government has already moved the Calcutta High Court against the deportation of Bengali-speaking individuals. On Wednesday, the court questioned the timing of the deportation drive.