Kolkata: Following the instruction of Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, a delegation from her party on Sunday visited Jai Hind Colony in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj and met the Bengali-speaking people residing there.
The Chief Minister had earlier criticised the reported eviction of residents from Jai Hind Colony alleging targeted harassment of Bengali speaking citizens. Banerjee in her social media post also wrote that water supply was reportedly cut off, electricity metres confiscated and power abruptly cut two days before she had posted it on X.
The three-member delegation comprising Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale met the Bengali-speaking people who have been residing there for many years. These residents told the Trinamool Congress MPs that they have all the valid documents and their electricity connection was cut off without notice.
“As per the direction of our party supremo, three MPs from Rajya Sabha visited the colony. Hundreds of families have been living in this area at least for 20-25 years. Most of them are from Dinhata in Cooch Behar. Some families are from Assam. Majority of them are rag pickers while 10 per cent are involved in other jobs. Their electricity connection, water connection were cut off and they are being compelled to leave the place. We appeal to all the political leaders to stand by them on humanitarian ground,” Roy said. “Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj who are being subjected to inhuman treatment by the @gupta_rekha Govt. @BJP4India has normalised the persecution of Bengalis, but we will not stand by and watch our people suffer in silence. As a strong show of solidarity, our Rajya Sabha MPs, Shri @Sukhendusekhar, Smt. @sagarikaghose, and Shri @SaketGokhale, visited Jai Hind Colony to stand with the victims of BJP’s Bangla-Birodhi repression. We will not allow any harm to befall our people,” Trinamool Congress wrote on X.
“…the residents who are being threatened, harassed, and stripped of their basic rights. Their pain is our pain. Their fight is our fight.
We will always stand by its people, with strength, with compassion, and with an unshakable resolve. Joy Bangla! Bengali-speaking citizens are increasingly facing discrimination and harassment in @BJP4India-ruled states,” Trinamool Congress posted on X.
It also stated: “In the face of cruelty and injustice, we stand shoulder to shoulder with every Bengali whose dignity, identity, and future are under threat. Always.”