Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee visited the family of 24-year-old migrant worker Sukhen Mahato, who was killed in Pune on Thursday. During his visit to Purulia district, Banerjee assured the family that if the accused are not arrested and justice is not delivered, he would send three party MLAs to pursue the matter. He also vowed that the TMC would not allow the issue to fizzle out, particularly since Purulia is represented by a BJP MP.
“We will not let the matter fizzle out. I will not make any political comments on this matter. In Purulia, there is a BJP MP. Considering the urgency shown by the state government in taking up the matter with the Maharashtra government, police, and administration, I would expect the same urgency from the BJP MP of Purulia, Jyotirmoy Mahato, to speak with the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to ensure that the accused are brought to justice as early as possible,” Banerjee said.
A day earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the killing, describing it as a barbaric murder. “This is nothing short of a hate crime,” she said.
Mahato worked at a motor spare parts factory in Pune and had completed his shift from 3:30 pm to 11:30 pm on the day of the incident. He went incommunicado after work. His two brothers, who also worked in Pune, lived with him. One of his brothers alleged that Mahato was targeted because he spoke Bengali and could not speak Hindi or Marathi. However, preliminary police reports suggest that Mahato was intoxicated and got into a brawl with two individuals. CCTV footage reportedly indicates that a sharp weapon was used in the attack.
Cases of West Bengal migrant workers killed in other states
The issue of Bengali-speaking migrant workers allegedly being targeted in other states has been raised repeatedly by the TMC, which has accused the BJP of fostering an atmosphere of intolerance. Mamata Banerjee has, on multiple occasions, criticised the BJP over incidents involving migrant workers from West Bengal.
In December last year, a 25-year-old migrant worker from Murshidabad district was lynched by local residents in Sambalpur, Odisha, and later succumbed to his injuries. Sheikh had moved to Odisha three years ago in search of work. Other migrant workers accompanying him were also reportedly assaulted. TMC criticised the BJP over the incident in BJP-ruled Odisha, questioning the safety of migrant workers.
Another case emerged of a 32-year-old Alam Laskar from South 24 Parganas district who was killed in Andhra Pradesh on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi alleged his elder brother. The family received a ransom call to transfer Rs. 25,000, or else he would be killed. Despite transferring the money, Laskar was killed.
The body of another migrant worker, Alamgir Alam from Malda district, was found near the railway tracks near Chennai after he went missing on January 14. His wife suspects he was killed and his body dumped beside the railway tracks.
The TMC not letting these issues die down is their way of saying they will stand by the people of their land and protect their turf, which is culturally diverse and inclusive. This is what the TMC has been using to show that their party is the protector of harmony across caste and creed.
“If this perception is being created by the party, it will help TMC in the long run. This seems to be a big problem for migrant workers in other states who only know Bengali. Not just TMC, but the BJP should take up the matter and create a law," said political analyst Udayan Bandhypadhyay.
“TMC is not at fault. Why should people be targeted for their language? National agencies and the government are silent on this issue. At least the Prime Minister should speak. Many non-Bengali-speaking people live freely in Bengal. These incidents show the situation; they(Bengali-speaking people)are being targeted. It is not a false situation.” Added Bandhypadhyay.
With multiple cases involving Bengali-speaking migrant workers coming to light, the political debate over language-based hate crimes continues to intensify.
