West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slams false claims of Rohingya infiltration, calling it BJP-led propaganda to remove genuine voters. She defends Bengali migrant workers and warns against selective harassment, emphasizing linguistic rights and national unity in her New Town address.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on what she described as “fake propaganda” regarding alleged illegal infiltration of Rohingya refugees into the state. While not naming the BJP directly, she made it clear that she believes certain political forces are spreading misinformation about the presence of Rohingyas in Bengal in an effort to manipulate the voters’ list.
Banerjee made these remarks on Thursday while inaugurating two new housing projects at New Town, located in the northern fringes of Kolkata. Addressing the gathering, she questioned the credibility of the claims being circulated.
“Rohingyas are from Myanmar. How can they be in West Bengal? Still, false propaganda is being carried out by certain vested interests that there are lakhs of illegal Rohingya infiltrators in West Bengal,” she said. “They are doing this to strike out the names of genuine voters from the voters’ list. I challenge them to provide us with the addresses where these Rohingya infiltrators are hiding.”
The Chief Minister’s statement comes in the backdrop of increasing political debate over the integrity of electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections. She accused her opponents of using xenophobic rhetoric to delegitimize Bengali voters and foment communal tensions.
In addition to refuting the Rohingya infiltration claims, Banerjee expressed concern over the treatment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in other states, particularly those governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She alleged that Bengali workers, many of whom are highly skilled, are facing “selective harassment” outside Bengal.
“Remember, these workers from West Bengal are accommodated in other states out of generosity. They are accommodated there since they are especially skilled. So we cannot tolerate their selective harassment,” Banerjee stated. She added that more than 1.5 crore migrant workers from other Indian states live in West Bengal and do not face such mistreatment.
The Chief Minister also emphasized the cultural and linguistic significance of Bengali, reminding critics that it is the second most-spoken language in Asia and the fifth most-spoken language in the world.
“Those who resort to selective harassment of Bengali-speaking people are not aware of the importance of our language and our people. I have great regard for other languages. I myself speak, read, and write in a number of languages,” she said. “Any Indian citizen has the right to stay at any place in India, and they have the right to speak in any language.”
While continuing her address, Mamata Banerjee also alluded to the central government’s decision to grant political asylum to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, without directly criticizing the move.
“There might be some political or diplomatic reason for giving shelter to anyone from a neighbouring country. I did not say anything on this issue,” she said, hinting that while such asylum may be granted on humanitarian or strategic grounds, it must not be conflated with illegal infiltration for political purposes.
| Also Read: Parliament Monsoon Session 2025: 7 key bills set for passage |
Her comments have added a new layer to the ongoing national conversation on identity, citizenship, and migration. Political observers believe Banerjee’s remarks are intended to shield West Bengal’s diverse demographic makeup from what she sees as attempts to distort it for electoral gain.
With these statements, Mamata Banerjee has reiterated her party’s position on inclusivity, linguistic diversity, and the constitutional rights of all Indian citizens, while clearly drawing a line against misinformation and communal politics.
