Freedom wouldn't have come without Bengal's contribution: Mamata Banerjee
'Our freedom wouldn't have come without Bengal. This is part of history. 70% of inmates at Andaman's Cellular Jail were Bengalis. Punjabis comprised the next largest number. A replica of the jail's plaque bearing all those names is kept at our Alipore Correctional Home (in Kolkata). Please go and see it,' Banerjee said during the 12th anniversary celebration of the Kanyashree Prakalpa, her welfare scheme for girl students.
The Trinamool Congress chairperson referred to the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states recently, following the detention of migrant workers on suspicion that they are illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
Banerjee said Bengalis had to suffer after the Bengal province was divided in 1947 and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was formed. 'Partition came at a price and we had to pay it. Those who left everything and came here as refugees were recognised as citizens. Of course, action should be taken against those who are foreigners. The Centre can do that. This is not in our hands. But why are people being unnecessarily targeted?' Banerjee said.
'Day before yesterday, a man from a technical field went to Noida with his child, but hotels refused accommodation because he speaks Bengali. If I respect your language, why shouldn't you respect mine?' she said.
'Rabindranath Tagore composed the national anthem and Bankimchandra Chattopdahy composed Vande Mataram, our national song. Both are sung in the Parliament. The Jai Hind slogan was raised by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Don't forget that the first legislation to stop the practice of Sati was passed in Bengal,' Banerjee said, paying homage to Raja Rammohan Roy, the icon of the Bengal Renaissance who fought against the barbaric practice of burning widows in the pryes of their husbands.
'Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chairman of our Constitution drafting committee, won his first election from Bengal. At the time when India won freedom, Gandhiji was in Beliaghata to stop communal riots. This is the land of people like Ramakrishna Paramahansha, Shri Chaitanya Deb, Pandit Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Khudiram Bose, Prafulla Chaki, Matangini Hazra,' Banerjee added.
'We learn English because it is an international language but nothing can be compared to Bengali. Learn as many languages as you wish but don't forget your language and your motherland,' She said, addressing the students.
Women who have achieved success in various fields were felicitated at the government event.
Bengal BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar insisted that allegations of harassment of Bengali-speaking people are baseless.
'A false binary is being created before the 2026 assembly polls. TMC alleged three days ago that a migrant worker was murdered in Tamil Nadu because he spoke Bengali. Police investigation showed that the murder was linked to his wife's extramarital affair. Two days ago, TMC alleged that some men in Mumbai sliced off the ears of a migrant worker from Birbhum because he spoke Bengali. The man said he was attacked during a dispute over wages,' said Sarkar.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Bihar: Nitish Kumar unveils special economic packages to boost investments
In a bid to promote investments in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced several "special economic packages" for the investors. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar(PTI) The CM announced the government's decision in a social media post. In a post on X, he wrote, "Our government has set a target to provide jobs and employment to one crore youths in the next five years. The government is encouraging those setting up industries and pursuing self-employment in the state by providing various facilities." "Now, entrepreneurs setting up industries in Bihar will be given a special economic package. To encourage private sectors to set up industries in Bihar, the government has decided to provide a special economic package," he added. All these facilities will be provided to entrepreneurs for setting up industries within the next six months. In addition, several other provisions have been made to significantly assist entrepreneurs setting up industries in the state. A detailed notification in this regard will be issued separately, the CM said. "The special economic packages for the investors/entrepreneurs include: The incentive amount provided for capital subsidy, interest subsidy, and GST will be doubled. Land will be arranged in all districts for setting up industries, and industries providing more employment will be given land free of cost. Disputes related to the land allocated for setting up industries will be resolved on a priority basis," Kumar added. "In 2020, under the Seven Resolves-2 initiative, our government fulfilled the target of providing government jobs and employment to 50 lakh youths. Now, our government has set a target to provide jobs and employment to 1 crore youths in the next 5 years. The objective of this initiative by the state government is to promote industries in Bihar, ensure that the youth of Bihar become skilled and self-reliant, have access to maximum employment opportunities, and secure their future," the CM said.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
‘Sanghi-saathi' should thank British on completing 100 yrs: Akhilesh
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday took a veiled dig at the RSS after it was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, saying it should thank the British on completion of its 100 years as some organisations were made by them so that the country could be divided on religious lines. Speaking to reporters at the Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow after hoisting the tricolour, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also questioned the prime minister's 'swadeshi' pitch, saying those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi in mind. He hit out at the ruling BJP, saying it should not tell lies and no politics should be done on this day. 'This group of Sanghi saathis... I want to remind them that when the BJP was formed and the person who became the first national president of the BJP, in its first session, it was decided that the political ideology of the party would be socialist and secular. 'And, on this completion of 100 years, they should congratulate the British. Because we have heard and some historians have also written that some organisations were made by the British so that 'Bharat' could be divided on religious lines, a gulf could be created between Hindus and Muslims. 'Hence, the Sanghi saathis, whose first ideology is socialist and secular, they should remember it, so that the country can move forward,' Yadav said. Prime Minister Modi on Friday hailed 100 years of RSS as a 'very proud and glorious' journey of the 'world's biggest NGO' and lauded all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation. The prime minister also made a sweeping call for 'swadeshi' (Made in India) -- self-reliance and innovation in a gamut of sectors, including semiconductors, social media, fertiliser and pharma. 'Those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi from mind as well,' Yadav said, while raising issues like US tariffs and GST. 'The BJP people should not be speaking lies on August 15 (Independence Day), a day which is celebrated with joy. No politics should be done during this,' the SP chief said. 'Our borders should be secured, our Army should be strong, and schemes like Agniveer should be stopped. And, we also see those people, who appear to be 'swadeshi' from speech, but are 'videshi' (foreigners) from the mind ('aur hum unn logo ko bhi dekhte hai jo mooh se to swadeshi hai, lekin mann se videshi hai'). 'If someone is a foreigner in mind, then how will our business increase? Today, a country like the US is posing a problem for our industrialists by imposing tariffs,' Yadav said. He said a district like Bhadohi used to do trade worth thousands of crores of rupees but now its business has shrunk significantly. 'And, there is China -- our neighbour, which occupies our land from time to time, has captured our entire market. Today, we have the highest trade deficit with China. Hence, those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi from mind as well,' Yadav said. India has recorded trade surplus with as many as 151 countries such as the US and the Netherlands, while the country has a trade deficit with 75 nations, including China and Russia, during the first half of this year, according to think tank GTRI (Global Trade Research Initiative). Yadav also said that the 'web of GST and fear-inducing ('daraane waalee) institutions such as ED, CBI and Income Tax, will not allow our trade to increase, but will lead to closure'. Referring to the dropping of the atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the SP chief said, 'After the dropping of bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, the results which were visible, the world accepted that it will never go into an atomic war. We will not use atomic energy to take someone's life.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Shivakumar calls for five vows on 79th Independence Day
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday called on the Congressmen to take a five-point oath on the 79th Independence Day to save sanctity of democracy. Addressing the partymen at the Independence Day celebration at the KPCC office, he said, 'We need to take a five-point oath today to save democracy, constitution and sanctity of elections and to fight injustice of tax devolution and to eliminate fascism.' 'Freedom is not something that has a price tag. Our leaders got us independence by sacrificing a lot. Hence, we need to take oath to save all the democratic values that came with independence. 'We need to remember these five oaths every day. We need to write a foreword to the second independence struggle in 2029. The first independence struggle in the country took place in Shivamogga district. Kittur Chennamma was the first one to defeat the British. Kannadigas have contributed a lot for the independence movement. We need to remember it today,' he reminisced. 'More than 6.5 lakh Congress men have sacrificed their life in the independence struggle. It is not enough if we hoist the tricolour and sing national anthem, we need to spread the message of our sacrifices to the future generations. Else, traitors will keep preaching us patriotism. It is the Congressmen who fought for independence but they are trying to defame these leaders,' he said. 'The Opposition asks about the contribution of the Congress party for the independence struggle. It is the Congress which got our country independence, national anthem, national flag. The tricolour is etched on our chest. It is the Congress which gave Indians individual, religious, intellectual, social, economic freedom.' 'We need to fight those who are denigrating the Constitution. We need to protect the aspirations of the Constitution. Vote theft is detrimental to the country as it jeopardizes the spirit of free and fair elections. Our leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have launched a nation-wide fight against vote theft from Karnataka.' Speaking to media later, he said, 'There is a new wave in the country. It is good to see all non-BJP parties joining hands. I am confident that there will be a massive change in the days to come.'
