States » EastPosted at: Jun 25 2025 5:21PM


Bengali migrant workers detained in Rajasthan released after Mamata's intervention

Kolkata, June 25 (UNI) A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the BJP-ruled Rajasthan government for illegally detaining nearly 400 Bengali-speaking migrant workers — including several from West Bengal and Assam — under allegations of being Bangladeshi nationals, the Bhajan Lal Sharma government released all the workers today.
The workers, hailing predominantly from Itahar in Uttar Dinajpur district and surrounding villages, had been detained despite possessing valid documents proving their Indian citizenship. The incident sparked widespread concern and drew sharp criticism from Banerjee, who accused the BJP-ruled Rajasthan government of unjust profiling based solely on language.
The issue came to the surface on Tuesday, during the final day of the monsoon session of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, when Trinamool Congress MLA from Itahar, Mosarraf Hossain, brought the matter to the Chief Minister’s attention.
Banerjee summoned chief secretary Manoj Pant and directed him to speak to his Rajasthan counterpart, Sudhanshu Pant, to ensure the workers’ swift release.
“This cannot be allowed to continue,” the Chief Minister said, later vowing to take the matter up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I don’t know if the Prime Minister is aware of this matter, but his party’s government is responsible for this,” she said, pointing fingers at the BJP for what she described as systemic harassment of Bengali-speaking citizens in states under their governance.
In a fiery address in the Assembly, Banerjee accused BJP-ruled states of targeting Bengali speakers. “Is speaking Bengali a crime? Should Tamil-speaking people be sent to Sri Lanka or Nepali-speaking people to Nepal?” she asked, denouncing the trend of equating linguistic identity with foreign origin.
She also drew parallels with a similar episode in Maharashtra, where three Bengali migrant labourers were wrongfully deported to Bangladesh and later brought back after a flag meeting, following her government’s intervention.
“Nearly 1.5 crore migrant workers from other states live and work in Bengal, and we treat them with dignity,” Banerjee said. “But our own people are being persecuted elsewhere. This cannot go unchallenged.”
The Chief Minister had assured on Tuesday that her government would provide all necessary support to the workers and said the matter would not be laid to rest quietly. “We will organise protests to highlight this injustice,” she had warned.
UNI XC PRS
Tags: #Bengali migrant workers detained in Rajasthan released after Mamata's intervention
More News

Trust formed for construction of Maa Janaki temple in Sitamarhi

27 Jun 2025 | 1:40 AM

Patna, Jun 26 (UNI) The Bihar government has constituted a nine member “Trust” headed by Chief Secretary for the construction and redevelopment of Maa Janaki’s grand temple at Punaura Dham, the birthplace of Goddess Sita, in Sitamarhi district.

see more..

Valorisation Project on fish waste granted to CUJ faculty

27 Jun 2025 | 1:40 AM

Ranchi, June 26 (UNI) Soumen Dey, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ), has been awarded a research project worth Rs ₹5.68 lakh by the Jharkhand Council on Science, Technology, and Innovation (JCSTI), Government of Jharkhand.

see more..

Odisha: CM hikes cessation benefit for temporary employees to Rs 2 5 Lakh

27 Jun 2025 | 1:32 AM

Bhubaneswar, June 26 (UNI) Temporary employees of the Odisha Government will now receive a one-time cessation benefit of Rs 2.5 lakh at the time of termination of service, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced today.

see more..

Time is short but we are hopeful: Gaurav Gogoi on 2026 Assam elections

27 Jun 2025 | 1:30 AM

Guwahati, June 26 (UNI) Newly appointed president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Gaurav Gogoi today said that the party is hopeful about doing well in the 2026 assembly elections in the state despite the short time remaining for the preparations.

see more..

BJD demands arrest of all accused in Karanjia gang rape case

27 Jun 2025 | 1:22 AM

Bhubaneswar, June 26 (UNI) The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today demanded the immediate arrest of all individuals involved in the gang rape of a woman under Karanjia police limits in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.

see more..