Migrants from West Bengal targeted in Maharashtra; BJP questions reliability of victims’ account
Migrants from West Bengal targeted in Maharashtra; BJP questions reliability of victims’ account
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Three migrants in Maharastra were allegedly assaulted over suspicion of being “Bangladeshis” after they conversed in Bengali, Muslim Mirror reported. The incident, reported in the wake of rising attacks on Bengalis reported across the country, has sparked strong reactions online.
The victims of the assualt alleged that they were attacked when they were returning from Maharashtra.
According to their account, the locals overheard their conversation which was happening in Bengali language and accused them of being Bangladeshis.
The victims said that they spoke in Hindi when they were buying tickets but when they switched language when conversing amongst themselves, the locals became violent.
The workers were allegedly halted, asked about nationality and were accused of being Bangladeshis even though they insisted that they are from Bengal.
The locals allegedly took them to another location and kept them there for a brief period and brutally assaulted the workers there.
The workers alleged that hot tea was poured on them to torture them until one of them pretended to fall sick to escape the attacks.
On Sunday, Pandaveswar MLA Narendranath Chakraborty met them in solidarity and criticised the government for rising physical assaults on Bengali speaking people.
Local BJP leader Dilip Chakraborty accused the West Bengal government after learning about the allegations.
While the BJP claims that there can be discrepancies in the accounts of the workers, many took to their social media handles to express anger and shock over the violent attacks and questioned about why people are questioning why the nationalities of people is being debated and interrogated by public when it should be determined by the government.
