Mamata Banerjee Accuses BJP of “Linguistic Terrorism” Against Bengalis

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, July 21, 2025, launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the central ruling party of engaging in “linguistic terrorism” against Bengalis. Addressing a massive gathering at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Martyrs’ Day rally in central Kolkata, Banerjee asserted that her party would vigorously resist any attempts to undermine Bengali identity and language.

The Chief Minister’s strong remarks come amidst heightened political rhetoric between the TMC and the BJP, particularly concerning issues of identity, migration, and electoral processes. Banerjee alleged that the BJP-led government was actively working against the interests of Bengal and its people. “BJP unleashed terror on Bengalis, their language; if this doesn’t stop, our resistance movement will reach Delhi,” she declared to her supporters.

Banerjee highlighted specific concerns, including accusations that the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission of India (ECI), was conspiring to remove Bengali names from voter lists. She referenced the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which has faced scrutiny, and warned that any similar exercise attempted in West Bengal would be met with fierce resistance. “BJP and EC conspiring against Bengal, want to remove Bengalis from voter list,” she charged, adding, “If attempts like NRC or ‘SIR-like exercises’ were introduced in the state, the TMC would strongly resist. We will never allow it.”

The Chief Minister also targeted BJP-ruled states, particularly Assam, alleging that Bengalis were being harassed and sent to detention camps. She criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, stating, “Assam CM, who cannot properly handle his own state, [is] meddling in affairs of Bengal.” Banerjee contrasted this with West Bengal’s approach, emphasizing that the state hosts approximately 1.5 crore (15 million) migrants from other states who “never face any problem.”

This rhetoric around “Bengali asmita” (pride) is a recurring theme for the TMC as it gears up for the 2026 West Bengal assembly polls. Banerjee’s speech also touched upon broader national political ambitions. “We have to win more seats in the 2026 Bengal assembly polls, then aim to defeat the BJP at the Centre. Our fight will continue till we oust the BJP from the Centre,” she affirmed.

Abhishek Banerjee, TMC leader and nephew of the Chief Minister, echoed these sentiments, labeling the BJP as a “Bangla-Birodhi party” (anti-Bengali party) and warning that TMC Members of Parliament (MPs) might resort to speaking in Bengali in Parliament as a form of protest. The accusations of “linguistic terrorism” and efforts to “erase identity” underscore the escalating political tensions between the ruling party in West Bengal and the BJP, setting the stage for continued confrontations over cultural and linguistic issues in the coming months.