West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has recently launched a major attack on the BJP over the alleged persecution of Bengali-speaking people in Assam. She alleges that people in Assam are being harassed for maintaining their mother tongue. She also said that Bengali is the second most spoken language in India and it should be respected in Assam too. Mamata said that this is a conspiracy of the BJP to divide people in the name of language and religion which is against the Constitution.
Clarification and counterattack of Assam government
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly retaliated against Mamata Banerjee. He said that his government is not taking action against any Indian citizen but against infiltration from Bangladesh. Sarma says that the Hindu community is on the verge of becoming a minority in some districts which is a matter of serious concern. He accused Mamata Banerjee of doing vote bank politics and compromising with national integrity.
Bengal vs Assam: Politics or Constitutional Question
This entire controversy has once again brought the politics of language, religion and identity to the center. Mamata Banerjee says that people want to live in peace and want to maintain their language and culture but the BJP government is harassing them. At the same time, the Assam government is calling it an issue related to internal security and population structure. Both the states are making serious allegations against each other which is making the country’s politics even more tense.
Issue of infiltration or vote bank trick?
Sarma also said that the Bengal government is promoting infiltration from Bangladesh, due to which both the country’s borders and culture are in danger. He accused Mamata Banerjee of keeping silent to please a particular community. At the same time, Mamata said that this is an attempt to target only one community and the people of the country should unite and protest against it. This issue is now moving out of the state and becoming a part of national politics.
What will be the way out of this conflict?
Now the biggest question is whether any solution will come out of such allegations and counter-allegations. Is it right to target people in the name of protecting language and identity or is it just a battle for political interests. It is clear from this verbal war between Mamata Banerjee and Himanta Biswa Sarma that this issue can get even hotter in the coming times. Now it remains to be seen what stand the central government takes on this dispute and how much it affects the unity of the country.
