West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condemnation for the death of a migrant worker from West Bengal in Odisha, emphasizing that speaking Bengali should not be a punishable offense. She mentioned the filing of a zero FIR in West Bengal and the arrest of six individuals related to the incident. Banerjee denounced the mistreatment faced by Bengali-speaking individuals in BJP-ruled states and assured support for affected migrant families, including financial compensation for those who lost their lives.
The tragic incident involved the alleged killing of a West Bengal migrant worker in Odisha’s Sambalpur district during a dispute over a ‘bidi.’ The West Bengal Police initiated a zero FIR at the Suti police station and dispatched a team to Odisha for further investigation into the youth’s death. Banerjee highlighted the challenges faced by migrant workers from the Jangipur area in Odisha and assured assistance to affected families, emphasizing that speaking Bengali should not be criminalized.
In response to the Sambalpur incident, Banerjee reiterated the registration of a Zero FIR by the West Bengal Police and the arrest of six individuals in connection with the case. She affirmed her commitment to supporting victims of such incidents in BJP-ruled states and reiterated that speaking Bengali is not a punishable act.
