Kolkata, Aug 13 (IANS) The BJP on Wednesday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims on purported eviction of Bengali-speaking migrant workers from a colony in New Delhi have been busted by her party’s MP in Parliament.

The BJP’s information technology cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, said that in the Lok Sabha, June Maliah, the actress-turned-politician and MP from the Medinipur constituency, had asked a question about the “evictions” of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Jai Hind Colony, Vasant Kunj, in the House.

The truth, as revealed in the government reply, is that no eviction drive took place, there was no water supply cut and not a single complaint was filed with the Delhi Jal Board, except for one social media post, Malviya said in a social media statement on X on Wednesday morning.

Malviya claimed that only two electricity connections were disconnected, and that too on the orders of a civil court.

“Once again, the false propaganda of the TMC has been exposed in Parliament, through their question! Bengalis are not being targeted, as falsely alleged by Mamata Banerjee to hide her misgovernance. Facts speak louder than their lies,” Malviya claimed.

He also posted the question and the reply on his X handle, which is dated July 31.

To recall, a political war of words on social media platform X between BJP’s Amit Malviya and Mamata Banerjee surfaced last month, over the reported eviction and harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers at Delhi’s Jai Hind Colony.

On July 10, Malviya issued a social media statement where he claimed that false propaganda was being spread that politics played a role behind the action at Jai Hind Colony.

He claimed that not politics but a court order prompted the action. “The action being taken is based on a court order — not politics. The settlement in question is illegal, and the law is simply being enforced. It is no coincidence that just days ago, 26 illegal Bangladeshis were apprehended from this very area,” Malviya said in the statement.

A couple of hours after his statement on X was posted, CM Banerjee issued a strongly worded statement and post on her official X account claiming that she was deeply disturbed over the information of harassment emerging from Jai Hind Colony in New Delhi’s Vasant Kunj — a settlement predominantly inhabited by Bengalis.

“Their water supply was reportedly cut on orders from the BJP-led government. Electricity meters were confiscated, and power was abruptly cut the day before yesterday. Residents also claim that the Delhi Police, backed by Rapid Action Force personnel, blocked private water tankers they had arranged and paid for. A forced eviction is currently underway despite the matter being sub-judice following another transgression last December by the Delhi Police. How can we claim to be a democratic Republic if the basic rights to shelter, water, and electricity are being trampled upon?” the Chief Minister’s statement said.

–IANS

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