July 13, 2025

Amid claims by migrant workers from West Bengal of facing discrimination in BJP-governed states, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has protested against statements made by Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma's remarks on including Bengali as the mother tongue in Census papers to identify foreigners in Assam triggered controversy. TMC highlighted the cultural importance of Bengali and criticized Sarma for his comments, accusing him of spreading hatred against Bengalis. The party also referred to recent incidents, including a Foreigners' Tribunal classifying a West Bengal resident as an 'illegal migrant'. The TMC and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee vouched for the individual's residency in West Bengal, whereas the Assam Chief Minister insisted he was a citizen of Assam. TMC leader Sushmita Dev condemned Sarma's approach, labeling it as divisive politics and racial discrimination against Bengali-speaking Indians. Dev demanded an immediate apology from Sarma for tarnishing the dignity of his position by branding Bengalis as 'illegal Bangladeshis'.

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Tags: Tmc, Assam chief minister, Bengali, Migrant workers, Racial profiling,