Mamata Banerjee slams Assam CM for sending notice to Alipurduar citizen, calls it 'anti-constitutional'

Raising the harassment of the migrant workers once again, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for sending a notice to a citizen of Alipurduar's Falakata from Assam Foreigner’s Tribunal, calling it 'anti-Constitutional' and a deliberate interference. Questioning an attempt to capture Bengal, Banerjee spoke about receiving a letter from the Haryana government for verification of documents of 52 Bengali-speaking people, suspecting them as Bangladeshis.

“A notice has been received by a resident of Falakata and it was sent by the Foreigner’s Tribunal of Kokrajhar in Assam. It is not only unethical but Unconstitutional,” Banerjee said.

Anjali Sil, who resides in North Bengal’s Falakata, said that she has received the notice though staying in Bengal for the last 20 years. She said, “My husband was from Assam but he used to work here. We have been staying here for more than 30 years,” Banerjee said.


“How can Assam interfere in Bengal's affairs? Banerjee questioned.

“We have received another letter today. It has come from Haryana, suspecting 52 Bengali-speaking people as Bangladeshis. The District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police in various districts, including Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur, Uttar Dinajpur, Nadia, Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, South 24 Parganas, have been instructed to verify the names of individuals and inform them as per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines. Is this a deliberate attempt to take control of Bengal? Are they trying to erase Bengal’s identity? Is this some kind of linguistic terrorism?” Banerjee said, as she touched upon Bengali “asmita” once again.

“The verification of documents of these Bengali-speaking people in Gurgaon has been sought and they have been kept in the detention camps. Choosing every district, there is an attempt to put people in danger. We will protect people. They are crossing all limits,” the CM said.

“Are they trying to forcefully capture Bengal? Choosing every district, there is an attempt to put people in danger. We will protect people. They are crossing all limits,” she said.

Banerjee questioned whether speaking a particular language is not a crime. “This is illegal detention and it will be challenged at the proper time,” Banerjee pointed out.

“Wherever I go, we will bring out rallies against "language Terrorism". I will also participate in a Language related rally in Birbhum soon, Banerjee pointed out. “We will speak in Bengali in Parliament as well.”