Kolkata: A heated political war of words has broken out in West Bengal, with BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, on Sunday, July 27, accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of orchestrating a “Bhasha Andolan drama.” Adhikari alleged that Banerjee’s recent rhetoric about the harassment of Bengali-speaking people outside West Bengal is a deliberate ploy to obstruct the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Speaking to ANI, Adhikari did not mince words, stating, “This is a deliberate drama to stop the SIR. Mamata Banerjee is not defending Bengalis, she is protecting her vote bank of infiltrators, Bangladeshis, and Rohingyas.” He further intensified his attack, claiming, “She is the protector of Bangladeshi Muslims and a relative of the Rohingyas,” implying that her electoral support is heavily reliant on illegal immigrants.
These sharp comments from the BJP leader come in the wake of Chief Minister Banerjee’s impassioned speech in Kolkata on July 25, where she appealed for a fresh ‘Bhasha Andolan’ (language movement). During her address, Banerjee alleged that Bengali-speaking individuals residing in other states were facing discrimination and exclusion.
The Chief Minister had previously voiced her concerns on July 21, openly criticising the Election Commission of India (ECI) for what she termed as the arbitrary removal of over 40 lakh voters from Bihar’s electoral rolls. In a defiant tone, she had warned, “Now you want to do the same in Bengal? Try it and we will launch a Gherao movement. We will fight, we will change this law. We will not accept it.”
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has clarified that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a routine exercise aimed at ensuring clean and updated voter lists in preparation for Bihar’s upcoming assembly elections. The ECI has maintained that the process is standard procedure and is not targeting any specific community.
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