Mamata: Why are Bengali-speakers tortured across India every day?

Time of India

5 hours ago

Digha/Kolkata: Why were those speaking Bengali "being tortured across the country every day", CM
said on Thursday. Speaking in Digha, where she has gone to attend the first Rath Yatra of the newly inaugurated Jagannath temple, the CM spoke of Bengali-speaking migrant workers being detained at two places in Odisha.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Asking Odisha "not to be jealous", Banerjee said while she respected the Puri Jagannath temple, she expected the same respect for the Digha Jagannath temple.
"I learnt that in Cuttack, 100 Bengali migrant workers were kept in detention camps. In Balasore, 17 are stuck. Is speaking Bengali a crime? Earlier too, we facilitated the release of many of our workers. I will ask the chief secretary to sort this out. People belong to different states.
But we are Indians. You are torturing them because they speak in Bengali. Why should this happen every day?" she said.
The CM said the task of identifying illegal immigrants lay with the Centre as its agencies man the borders, and that could not be an excuse to target Bengali-speakers. "BSF and CISF are responsible for illegal immigrants, not the state. Who is responsible for customs, borders, railways? It is your duty, not the state's.
We have proof of who all they facilitated to enter India. Nothing is in our hands. The Centre should look into this," Banerjee said.
Saying she had great affection for those from the neighbouring state, the CM said: "People from Odisha also come to see our Jagannath temple. We love and respect them. Let them (Odisha govt) do what they want. They say 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', then why are you jealous?" said Banerjee.
Emphasising that "religion means humanity", Banerjee said: "Those who are performing puja are doing it following all scriptures.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Any state can say what it wants. Even here, the Daitapati was present during the inauguration. An FIR was filed in my name, but I was not even involved. I did not lodge an FIR. Your behaviour and actions show the person you are."
The CM also brought up AAP's recent win in the Visavadar bypoll in Gujarat, saying: "BJP is finished in Gujarat." Banerjee, however, refused to comment on former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, calling this an "an internal matter of another party".
Talking about RSS, the CM said: "I respect a few RSS people, but their recent actions have raised doubts. They send observers who hold meetings with BJP and CAPF."