Kolkata: A migrant labourer, Golam Mondal (52), who has recently returned from Mumbai after allegedly being “tortured” there on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi, died at his native place in North 24-Parganas’ Habra.
The family members alleged that Mondal was arrested on the basis of suspicion of his being a Bangladeshi and he remained in custody for a few days. The family members claimed that Mondal used to work as a migrant worker in Mumbai. He was arrested as he spoke in Bengali. Police arrested him on the basis of suspicion that he could be a Bangladeshi.
He was allegedly tortured while in custody. It was also alleged that after being released, he was confined in an empty office of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. He finally returned home with the help of ‘Desh Bachao Gana Mancha’. After returning home Golam fell ill as he was yet to recover from the trauma he had allegedly undergone.
His health condition deteriorated on Sunday. The ‘Desh Bachao Gana Mancha’ made arrangements to admit him to a hospital on Monday. But the victim already died. A delegation of the ruling Trinamool Congress visited the house of the victim in Habra on Monday afternoon. Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already urged the migrant workers from Bengal in BJP-ruled states to return home. Her government also announced a monthly aid of Rs 5,000 for one year until they secure new employment in Bengal.
Trinamool Congress MPs recently staged a protest in Parliament complex against the alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states. TMC’s Parliamentary party leader Abhishek Banerjee, along with TMC MPs and INDIA bloc leaders, also staged a protest in Parliament, calling the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), “Silent Invisible Rigging”. Holding placards, Trinamool Congress MPs raised slogans against the alleged discrimination being faced by Bengali speakers in different states.
“Bengali language is being insulted in BJP-ruled states. Bengalis are being arrested; they say Bengali is not a language. We are protesting against that. We will not tolerate this insult to the Bengali language,” a Trinamool Congress MP said.