'Bangladeshi language': TMC's Abhishek Banerjee says Delhi Police insulted Bangla; seeks apology from Amit Shah
NEW DELHI: Senior
Trinamool Congress
leader
Abhishek Banerjee
on Sunday hit out at BJP, after a letter from Delhi police referred to Bengali as 'Bangladeshi language,' terming it a calculated insult by the union government and an attempt to strip language of its identity, while labeling Bengali-speaking Indians as 'outsiders.
'
Calling the move "a shocking escalation" in the targeting of Bengali-speaking people, Banerjee accused the BJP-led central government of systematically attempting to malign Bengal and erase its cultural identity.
'This is not a mere clerical error. It is yet another calculated attempt by the BJP to defame Bengal, undermine our cultural identity, and equate West Bengal with Bangladesh for narrow political propaganda,' he said in a post on social media platform X.
The Trinamool MP went on to term the reference to Bengali as a foreign language a 'direct violation' of Article 343 and the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which recognises Bangla (Bengali) as one of India's official languages.
'There is no language called 'Bangladeshi'. To call Bangla a foreign language is not just an insult, it's an attack on our identity, culture, and belonging. Bengalis are not outsiders in their own homeland,' he added.
The TMC leader further alleged that Bengali-speaking citizens have been routinely 'targeted, harassed, and detained' in BJP-ruled states over the past few months and that this incident is part of a broader pattern of discrimination.
Banerjee labelled the BJP as "Bangla Birodhi" (anti-Bengal) and "Zamindar" (feudal), accusing the party of disrespecting India's cultural diversity and thriving on divisive politics.
'Bangla and Bengalis are Indian. Bangla is our pride. We will not allow our identity to be trampled,' he added.
The TMC leader demanded immediate suspension of the investigating officer named in the letter, inspector Amit Dutt, and sought a formal, public apology from the Delhi Police, the BJP, and the union home ministry, led by
Amit Shah
.
Earlier in a post on X, Trinamool shared a copy of a letter from an inspector at Lodhi Colony police station to the officer in charge of Banga Bhawan, New Delhi, requesting a translator for the "Bangladeshi language."
TMC wrote: "Is there no limit to BJP's hatred for Bengalis? After repeatedly harassing and detaining Bengali-speaking workers across BJP-ruled states, Amit Shah's Delhi Police has now crossed all lines by officially branding our mother tongue, Bangla, as 'Bangladeshi language','
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