Mamata Banerjee leads march over 'targeting' of Bengali-speaking migrant workers

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a major protest march in Kolkata against the alleged targeting of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states. The Trinamool Congress rally, occurring just a week before the party's annual 21st July Martyrs' Day observance, championed the cause of 'Bengali Asmita' (Bengali pride) and portrayed the BJP as an anti-Bengal party. Responding to the protest, BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar described it as a political tactic to divide votes. He stated, "[She] wants to divide the Hindu vote on the basis of language." Majumdar questioned why Bengali workers need to migrate if the state is prosperous and accused the TMC of using the issue to protect illegal immigrants for vote bank politics.