Freedom wouldn’t have come without Bengal’s contribution: Mamata Banerjee | Kolkata

“Our freedom wouldn’t have come without Bengal. This is part of history. 70% of inmates at Andaman’s Cellular Jail were Bengalis. Punjabis comprised the next largest number. A replica of the jail’s plaque bearing all those names is kept at our Alipore Correctional Home (in Kolkata). Please go and see it,” Banerjee said during the 12th anniversary celebration of the Kanyashree Prakalpa, her welfare scheme for girl students.

The Trinamool Congress chairperson referred to the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states recently, following the detention of migrant workers on suspicion that they are illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

Banerjee said Bengalis had to suffer after the Bengal province was divided in 1947 and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was formed. “Partition came at a price and we had to pay it. Those who left everything and came here as refugees were recognised as citizens. Of course, action should be taken against those who are foreigners. The Centre can do that. This is not in our hands. But why are people being unnecessarily targeted?” Banerjee said.

“Day before yesterday, a man from a technical field went to Noida with his child, but hotels refused accommodation because he speaks Bengali. If I respect your language, why shouldn’t you respect mine?” she said.

“Rabindranath Tagore composed the national anthem and Bankimchandra Chattopdahy composed Vande Mataram, our national song. Both are sung in the Parliament. The Jai Hind slogan was raised by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Don’t forget that the first legislation to stop the practice of Sati was passed in Bengal,” Banerjee said, paying homage to Raja Rammohan Roy, the icon of the Bengal Renaissance who fought against the barbaric practice of burning widows in the pryes of their husbands.

“Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chairman of our Constitution drafting committee, won his first election from Bengal. At the time when India won freedom, Gandhiji was in Beliaghata to stop communal riots. This is the land of people like Ramakrishna Paramahansha, Shri Chaitanya Deb, Pandit Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Khudiram Bose, Prafulla Chaki, Matangini Hazra,” Banerjee added.

“We learn English because it is an international language but nothing can be compared to Bengali. Learn as many languages as you wish but don’t forget your language and your motherland,” She said, addressing the students.

Women who have achieved success in various fields were felicitated at the government event.

Bengal BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar insisted that allegations of harassment of Bengali-speaking people are baseless.

“A false binary is being created before the 2026 assembly polls. TMC alleged three days ago that a migrant worker was murdered in Tamil Nadu because he spoke Bengali. Police investigation showed that the murder was linked to his wife’s extramarital affair. Two days ago, TMC alleged that some men in Mumbai sliced off the ears of a migrant worker from Birbhum because he spoke Bengali. The man said he was attacked during a dispute over wages,” said Sarkar.