Kolkata, July 14 (IANS) Trinamool Congress will bring out a mega protest rally in Kolkata on July 16 against the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in states outside West Bengal, especially in the BJP-ruled states, which will be led by the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee herself.

According to the West Bengal minister of state for finance (independent charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya, the rally will start at 2 p.m. at College Square in Central Kolkata, which will be attended by the party activists from Kolkata and the adjacent districts like Howrah, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas.

“This rally will be led by the Chief Minister herself. Besides the one in Kolkata, similar protest rallies will be organised by the party in other districts as well,” Bhattacharya said.

“We cannot remain silent if Bengali-speaking migrant workers are being harassed in other states after being branded as illegal Bangladeshis just because they speak Bengali. So will be hitting the streets under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee,” Bhattacharya said.

Political observers feel that at a time when the Trinamool Congress and West Bengal government are on the back foot over various issues like school job corruption, rapes in educational institutions, and communal violence in some pockets against which BJP is the principal protesting political forces, Trinamool Congress is going all-out to start a counter-narrative against BJP terming them as ‘anti-Bengali’.

“Remember the protest rally is being conducted just five days before Trinamool Congress’s annual Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21. Generally, the Trinamool Congress does not organise any mega programme immediately before the Martyrs’ Day rally. But this time it is making an exception. This proves Trinamool Congress’ desperation to create a counter-narrative against the BJP on this ‘anti-Bengali’ issue,” said a city-based political observer.

A senior Trinamool Congress leader said that previously West Bengal government had sent several letters both to the Union as well as the harassing state governments on the issue of harassment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers there.

“But since nothing worked out, and so we are ultimately forced to hit the streets on this issue,” he said.

–IANS

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