CM cites HRW report, calls for end to BJP’s ‘linguistic terrorism’
Times of India | 27 July 2025
Kolkata: Citing a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on the expulsion of Bengali migrants, CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that even international human rights organisations had started taking note of the "linguistic terrorism unleashed in India". Calling it a "shame", she said such acts "must stop" at once.
Banerjee posted on X: "The internationally reputed and New York-based multi-country NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has also now highlighted the issue of harassment, persecution and illegal deportation of Bengali-speaking people of India by the BJP governments in various states.
""The human rights organisation has released a report saying what we have been saying: Bengali-speaking Indians (of different castes and communities) are being arbitrarily abused and pushed out in a concerted manner by the BJP establishment," she said, adding: "Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at HRW, has on record said that BJP is fuelling discrimination by arbitrarily expelling Bengalis from the country, including Indian citizens. The authorities' claims that they are managing irregular migration are unconvincing.
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"HRW reports that this has been happening systematically in the BJP-ruled States of Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Delhi, following a directive by the Ministry of Home, Government of India. Shame!! Now, even international human rights organisations have started taking note of the linguistic terrorism unleashed in India. This must stop at once!!" the CM posted.
Banerjee has been attacking the BJP-led Centre, saying that the detention of hundreds of Bengali speaking migrant workers across BJP-governed states was "a language war and linguistic terrorism" waged on Bengal and its people.