Bangla Pokkho founder Garga Chattopadhyay arrested in Kolkata over provocative statements
Indian Express | 12 May 2026
Acting on a complaint from the Election Commission, the Kolkata police on Tuesday arrested Garga Chattopadhyay, founder of the Bangla Pokkho ethno-linguistic rights organisation, for allegedly making provocative statements in the run-up to the recent West Bengal Assembly polls.
Chattopadhyay was also accused of spreading misinformation and rumours relating to the election process and electronic voting machines (EVM).
Officers of the police’s cybercrime division said they would produce Chattopadhyay before the competent court on Wednesday.
Commissioner of Police Ajay Nanda said, “The DEO (district election officer) North had alleged that Garg Chattopadhyay had made posts regarding EVM tampering, which had triggered public reaction. He was summoned twice but did not appear. He has now been arrested.”
“A police personnel from Baruipur police district who was accompanying him was found in possession of cartridges. No cartridges were recovered from Garga. Earlier, there was also a suo motu case registered, and he has been shown arrested in that case as well,” Nanda added.
A Harvard-educated scholar and neuroscientist by training, Chattopadhyay pivoted into political activism with a singular focus on “Bengal for Bengalis”.
Chattopadhyay has successfully mobilised a segment of the youth through polarising social media and grassroots campaigns. Supporters view him as a necessary shield for a community facing cultural dilution, but critics—including various political parties and legal authorities—frequently accuse him of inciting regionalism and linguistic chauvinism.
Chattopadhyay’s confrontational style has led to several legal challenges and controversies, particularly regarding his sharp critiques of the central government and non-Bengali ethnic groups.