Last Updated:
Tomorrow’s meeting is expected to chalk out talking points for MPs, prepare rebuttals, plan floor interventions, media outreach, and coordinated messaging on social platforms
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya will hold a meeting with all party MPs from his state, ahead of the monsoon session in Parliament. (Image: PTI/File)
Amid growing tension between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress over the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants, the West Bengal unit of the saffron party has sprung into action with chief Samik Bhattacharya calling a high-level strategy meeting in Delhi on Monday (July 21).
The larger message the BJP wants to push is that the TMC is allegedly risking national security by providing Aadhaar cards to illegal Bangladeshis for political benefits. Bhattacharya will hold a meeting with all the BJP MPs from West Bengal, ahead of the monsoon session and will arrive in New Delhi late on Sunday.
The meeting’s agenda is to finalise the BJP’s counter to the TMC’s “BJP is anti-Bengali” narrative — the Mamata Banerjee-led party is expected to vociferously push this on the floor of both Houses in the coming days.
According to sources, the BJP is anticipating a coordinated and “all-out” offensive by TMC MPs, targeting central leadership as well as state representatives, particularly over the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking Muslims in BJP-ruled states. The TMC has claimed that these individuals are Indians, while the local administration suspects them to be Bangladeshis.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently led a march in Kolkata to protest the alleged harassment of Bengali speakers in BJP-ruled states.
“What does the BJP think? They will hurt Bengalis? They are calling them Rohingya. Rohingya are in Myanmar, not here. 22 lakh poor migrant workers are being targeted,” Banerjee said.
Banerjee also had a spat with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma over the treatment of Bengali-speaking individuals in his state. She further raised the issue of how electricity was disconnected in a Delhi locality primarily occupied by Bengali-speaking migrants, which the BJP claimed was as per court orders.
The BJP has repeatedly alleged that the TMC is risking national security by providing Aadhaar cards to illegal Bangladeshis for political benefits. The TMC has countered this by saying these individuals are Indians and Bengali, accusing the BJP of an “anti-Bengali” mindset — a charge that, if believed by Bengal, could cost the BJP with elections seven to eight months away.
Hence, the meeting on Monday is expected to outline talking points for MPs, prepare rebuttals, possibly plan floor interventions, media outreach, and coordinated messaging on social platforms.
This flashpoint comes at a time when the TMC is already under fire over corruption allegations and administrative lapses in Bengal. The BJP insiders believe the “anti-Bengali” rhetoric is an attempt by the TMC to deflect from its governance record and rally regional sentiment ahead of the assembly elections next year.
With emotions likely to run high, both sides seem to be preparing for a fiery face-off in Parliament next week.
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in …Read More
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in … Read More
view comments
- First Published:
