If speaking Bengali is a crime, 'Which language do they speak?', Abhishek Banerjee takes a dig on opposition's language preference

Trinamool Congress All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday delivered a strong political and social message from a meeting at Jalangir in Mangalbari gram panchayat under Old Malda police station, asserting that migrant workers from West Bengal would no longer have to leave the state in search of work.

Taking aim at allegations that Bengali-speaking migrant workers are being branded as Bangladeshis in other states, Abhishek questioned what he called the selective targeting of language and identity.

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Abhishek Banerjee targets BJP over language and identity politics

Banerjee slams the opposition, “Those who deny Bengal’s culture, those who call us infiltrators, those who label people as Bangladeshi for speaking in Bengali — ask the MPs from this state: Khogen Murmu, Suvendu Adhikari, Dilip Ghosh, which language do they speak?” he said. He added that if speaking Bengali is treated as an offence, then the same standards should apply to everyone.

During the meeting, Abhishek listened directly to the grievances of migrant workers and promised legal support if anyone is harassed or branded as Bangladeshi. He announced the launch of the ‘Ek Dake Abhishek’ helpline for Malda’s migrant workers, extending a service already operational in his Diamond Harbour constituency. “Malda is also part of my extended family,” he said, assuring assistance in times of crisis.

Banerjee shares a Facebook post saying, “The term ‘anti-Bengal’ is deeply associated with the BJP. The harassment of Bengali-speaking workers in BJP-ruled states and the imprisonment of innocent people simply for speaking in Bengali clearly expose the party’s true face to the people of Bengal."

He added, "Today in Malda, I stood by migrant workers, listened to their grievances and difficulties, and learned about the distressing experiences they have faced in other states.”

Without naming him, Abhishek also targeted Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir, who was recently suspended from the Trinamool Congress after announcing plans to build a ‘Babri Masjid’ in Murshidabad. Alleging political opportunism, Abhishek claimed the move was aimed at creating religious division and warned people not to fall for such tactics. “Help the poor instead. That is what the Quran teaches,” he said, stressing on communal harmony of Bengal.

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Abhishek accused the BJP of politicising religion and neglecting migrant workers from their own constituencies, specifically naming Khagen Murmu and Sukanta Bhattacharya. He underscored Trinamool’s position as a party of social unity, saying crises do not discriminate by religion.

He also announced plans to hold a public meeting in Malda in the first week of February, at the same ground where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally, signalling a direct political counter.