A major controversy erupted in the Lok Sabha on Friday after Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Satabdi Roy claimed that Bengali-speaking Indian citizens were being wrongfully labelled as illegal immigrants and deported to Bangladesh, leading to a heated parliamentary exchange.
Allegations of Language-Based Harassment
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Satabdi Roy addressed the House in Bengali. She asserted that residents from West Bengal districts like Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas, and Birbhum, who work as labourers in other states, were facing systematic harassment. "They are being labelled as Bangladeshis just for speaking Bengali," she claimed.
Roy cited the specific case of Sunali Khatun, a pregnant woman from Birbhum. She alleged that despite possessing all valid documents, Khatun and her family were "pushed back." The TMC MP emphasized that this was not an isolated incident and also referred to a case of a person being deported to Bangladesh from Odisha.
Chaotic Scenes and Heated Exchange
The proceedings turned chaotic when Roy's microphone was switched off after her allotted time ended. As BJP MP Jugal Kishore began to speak, Roy, accompanied by fellow TMC MP Mahua Moitra, rushed to his seat and attempted to speak into his microphone. Presiding officer Krishna Prasad Tenneti urged her to return, while BJP MP Jagdambika Pal tried to calm the agitated TMC members.
Later, when allowed to conclude, Roy posed a provocative question: "If Bengali-speaking people could be sent to Bangladesh, then why aren't people being sent to Pakistan for speaking Hindi or Urdu?" This remark triggered a fresh uproar. Mahua Moitra echoed the question, and both MPs protested in the well of the House, causing a commotion.
BJP's Strong Counterattack
BJP MP Sambit Patra launched a strong counterattack against Roy's statements. He demanded that her remarks about sending Hindi or Urdu speakers to Pakistan be withdrawn, calling them "very wrong." Patra also sought protection from the Chair for the Odisha Chief Minister, whom he felt was targeted by Roy's language.
"Yes, Bengalis are our brothers, but Bangladeshis and Rohingya have no place in Odisha," Patra stated, drawing a clear distinction between Indian Bengali citizens and illegal immigrants. This exchange highlighted the intense political fault lines on the sensitive issue of immigration and identity.
The incident underscores the ongoing political tensions and the complex debate surrounding citizenship, language, and immigration enforcement in India.
