Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Former West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and raised concerns over alleged attacks and harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states, asserting that speaking Bangla does not mean a person is Bangladeshi.
Meeting With The Prime Minister
Chowdhury surprised political circles by calling on Narendra Modi and flagging what he described as growing incidents of violence and discrimination against Bengali-speaking migrant workers. He told the Prime Minister that such actions were creating fear among migrants from West Bengal and could fuel communal tension.
Letter Flags Misidentification Of Migrants
The Congress leader also handed over a letter to the Prime Minister, stating that in several cities Bengali-speaking people were being wrongly identified as Bangladeshi infiltrators by local administrations. This misunderstanding, he said, was leading to harassment and targeting of innocent workers who had migrated for livelihood.
Risk Of Communal Tension In Border Areas
In his communication, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury pointed out that many Muslim-majority regions of West Bengal lie close to the Bangladesh border, and action against Bengali-speaking people in other states could heighten tensions in sensitive border districts. He warned that failure to address the issue promptly could worsen the law-and-order situation in the state.
Call For Sensitising State Governments
Chowdhury urged the Prime Minister to direct all state governments to act sensitively towards migrant workers and ensure that no discrimination or violence takes place on linguistic or communal grounds. He emphasised that protecting the dignity and safety of migrants was essential for social harmony.
Data On Complaints Of Harassment
According to the West Bengal Migrant Welfare Board, Chowdhury noted, as many as 1,143 complaints related to harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers have been received from across the country over the past ten months, with a majority of cases reportedly coming from BJP-ruled states.
