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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Divisive agenda in Assam' vs ‘encouraging illegal encroachment': Amid citizenship row, Mamata, Himanta in war of words
A war of words erupted between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Saturday, with both taking to social media to levy accusations at each other. While Banerjee hit out at the 'divisive agenda of the BJP in Assam', saying it has 'crossed all limits', Sarma hit back, accusing her of compromising the state's future by 'encouraging illegal encroachment by a particular community'. In a post on X, Banerjee said, 'The second most spoken language in the country, Bangla, is also the second most spoken language of Assam. To threaten citizens, who want to coexist peacefully respecting all languages and religions, with persecution for upholding their own mother tongue is discriminatory and unconstitutional.' 'This divisive agenda of the BJP in Assam has crossed all limits and people of Assam will fight back. I stand with every fearless citizen who is fighting for the dignity of their language and identity, and their democratic rights,' she added. The post has come in the backdrop of Banerjee raising the issue of the alleged mistreatment of Bengali migrant labourers in other states such as Odisha, Delhi, and Assam. She had also recently called for a unified protest by all Opposition parties after a farmer in Coochbehar district was served a notice by Assam's Foreigners Tribunal saying that he was an 'illegal immigrant' who entered the state without valid documents between 1966 and March 24, 1971. Reacting to her post, Sarma took to X, saying, 'Didi, let me remind you—In Assam, we are not fighting our own people. We are fearlessly resisting the ongoing, unchecked Muslim infiltration from across the border, which has already caused an alarming demographic shift. In several districts, Hindus are now on the verge of becoming a minority in their own land…'. 'This is not a political narrative—it's a reality. Even the Supreme Court of India has termed such infiltration as external aggression. And yet, when we rise to defend our land, culture, and identity, you choose to politicize it,' he added. 'We do not divide people by language or religion. Assamese, Bangla, Bodo, Hindi—all languages and communities have coexisted here. But no civilisation can survive if it refuses to protect its borders and its cultural foundation,' Sarma further said. Hitting out at Banerjee, he said, 'While we are acting decisively to preserve Assam's identity, you, Didi, have compromised Bengal's future—encouraging illegal encroachment by a particular community, appeasing one religious community for vote banks, and remaining silent as border infiltration eats away at national integrity—all just to stay in power.' Assam will continue 'to fight to preserve its heritage, its dignity, and its people—with courage and constitutional clarity', Sarma added. Ravik Bhattacharya is the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. Over 20 years of experience in the media industry and covered politics, crime, major incidents and issues, apart from investigative stories in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Andaman Nicobar islands. Ravik won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for political reporting. Ravik holds a bachelor degree with English Hons from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University and a PG diploma in mass communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik started his career with The Asian Age and then moved to The Statesman, The Telegraph and Hindustan Times. ... Read More
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Himanta counters after Mamata raises hue & cry over Assam foreigner tribunal's notice to Rajbanshi person
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Guwahati: After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Assam's foreigners tribunal has served notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi resident of Cooch Behar and is trying to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in West Bengal, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma countered it, stating that it is a judicial process and that the government has already made the decision to drop cases against the Koch Rajbanshi community.'I am shocked and deeply disturbed to learn that the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam has issued an NRC notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar for over 50 years. Despite furnishing valid identity documents, he is being harassed on suspicion of being a foreigner/illegal migrant. This calls for urgent unity among all opposition parties to stand up against the BJP's divisive and oppressive machinery. Bengal will not stand by as the constitutional fabric of India is torn apart,' Banerjee wrote on X on on Thursday said, 'It is a judicial process. The state government has already recommended that cases against the Koch Rajbanshi should be withdrawn and the process is ongoing. The person's lawyer should have informed him that he belonged to the Koch Rajbanshi and that the government has withdrawn cases against them.'He added, 'The advocate has not pleaded his case. The advocate did not convey to the court that the person belongs to the Rajbanshi community and that cases should be withdrawn. This person has two advocates. This person is a citizen of Assam and temporarily went to West Bengal. He is from Rehabari in Guwahati.'Sarma has stated that five Bangladeshis and three Rohingyas were pushed back. He stated on X, 'Early this morning, @assampolice PUSHED BACK 5 Bangladeshis and 3 Rohingyas to Bangladesh from Cachar and Sribhumi. Illegal infiltrators WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to stay in Assam and threaten our identity.'
The Hindu
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Foreigners Tribunal notice: Mamata calls for joint fight against BJP's ‘divisive' policies
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she was shocked and disturbed to learn that the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam had issued a notice to a resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar, declaring him an illegal migrant. Ms. Banerjee claimed that a premeditated attempt is being made to 'intimidate, disenfranchise, and target' marginalised communities. Terming the situation 'alarming', the Trinamool Congress chairperson urged all Opposition parties to unite against what she described as the BJP's 'divisive and oppressive machinery'. 'Bengal will not stand by as the constitutional fabric of India is torn apart,' Ms. Banerjee posted on social media platform X. Ms. Banerjee highlighted the case of Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi and resident of Dinhata for over five decades, who has received the notice from Assam, despite never having lived there. She described the notice as 'nothing short of a systematic assault on democracy'. The Chief Minister said the resident was being harassed on suspicion of being a 'foreigner/illegal migrant' despite submitting valid identity documents. She accused the BJP-led government in Assam of trying to 'implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bengal, where it has no jurisdiction'. The incident comes amid reports of migrant workers from West Bengal, working in various parts of the country, being covertly pushed into Bangladesh with the involvement of security agencies. More than half a dozen such workers have been brought back after intervention by the West Bengal government. Ms. Banerjee also raised concerns over the revision of electoral rolls in neighbouring Bihar, accusing the Election Commission of attempting to implement the NRC 'through the back door'. Mr. Brajabasi told journalists that neither he nor his forefathers had ever visited Assam. He has also approached the local Block Development Office with all his citizenship documents. 'False narrative' BJP West Bengal general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay claimed a 'false narrative' was being spread by Ms. Banerjee regarding a notice allegedly issued by a court in Assam. He said that the Assam Chief Minister had already decided to exclude the Koch-Rajbanshi community from the NRC process and that the State Cabinet had resolved to withdraw all pending NRC-related cases against them. 'DGPAssamPolice, take strong action against those who are igniting social disharmony in West Bengal,' he posted on X.
Hindustan Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
West Bengal farmer sent ‘illegal migrant' notice by Assam's Foreigners Tribunal
A 50-year-old farmer from Sadialer Kuthi, a remote village in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, has received a notice from the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam's Kamrup district asking him to submit valid documents to prove that he is not an 'illegal migrant or foreigner.'. The farmer, Uttam Kumar Brajabasi (left), claimed that his family has been living in the village for at least five generations. (HT Photo) The development has sparked a political row in the eastern state, with chief minister Mamata Banerjee claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Assam was trying to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in West Bengal. 'I am shocked and deeply disturbed to learn that the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam has issued an NRC notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi, resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar for over 50 years. Despite furnishing valid identity documents, he is being harassed on suspicion of being a foreigner/illegal migrant. This calls for urgent unity among all opposition parties to stand up against BJP's divisive and oppressive machinery. Bengal will not stand by as the Constitutional fabric of India is torn apart,' Banerjee wrote on X on Tuesday. The farmer, Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, claimed that his family has been living in the village for at least five generations and that he has never been out of West Bengal. 'I received a notice in January this year through the police. As I can't read and write well, I showed it to my neighbors. They said that it was an NRC-notice from Assam. I am really scared,' Brajabasi told media persons. The notice, sent to him by the tribunal in December 2024, stated that Brajabasi had illegally stayed in Assam without any valid document between January 1, 1966 and March 24, 1971, and that he was currently residing at Dinhata in Cooch Behar district. 'Therefore, as per provision of order 3(1) of the Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 1964, you are asked to appear in person or by concerned lawyer engaged by you before this Foreigners Tribunal on January 6, 2025, at 10am to show cause supported by valid documents as admissible to prove that you are not a foreigner/illegal migrant as required under section 9 of the Foreigners Act, 1946. Upon failure to respond to this notice on your part, the Tribunal shall proceed to decide the reference ex-parte,' the notice stated. 'I have never been to Assam nor do I have any relatives there. I was born and brought up in Dinhata. Even my grandfather and father are from the same village,' he told media persons. Brajabasi also said that he hired a lawyer to represent his case at the tribunal and submitted documents of his father and grandfather to prove his citizenship. He claimed that he was asked to submit more documents within July 15, failing which he would be treated as a foreigner. The developments came to light after Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Samirul Islam flagged it on social media late on Monday evening. 'After the incident came to light on Monday, we got in touch with the authorities in Kamrup district. We are also sending them mail today with all documents of Brajabasi on Tuesday. He is a resident of Cooch Behar,' said Arvind Kumar Mina, district magistrate of Cooch Behar. 'This is nothing short of a systematic assault on democracy. It is proof that the ruling BJP dispensation in Assam is attempting to implement NRC in Bengal, where it holds no power or jurisdiction. A premeditated attempt is being made to intimidate, disenfranchise, and target marginalised communities. This unconstitutional overreach is anti-people, and exposes BJP's dangerous agenda of bulldozing democratic safeguards and erasing the identity of Bengal's people,' Banerjee wrote on X. The BJP, however, has hit back alleging that the TMC was creating a false narrative and that the Assam government has already decided to keep the Koch – Rajbangshi community out of the NRC process. 'False narrative being peddled by @MamataOfficial regarding an alleged notice issued by one FRO court from Assam. But the fact of the matter is @CMOfficeAssam has already taken a decision to keep Koch-Rajbangshi out of NRC process rather state cabinet took firm stand to withdraw all pending cases against Koch-Rajbangshi community as far as NRC is concerned,' Jagannath Chattopadhyay, state general secretary of the BJP wrote on X.
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Need urgent unity of Opposition parties': Mamata on Assam govt's NRC notice to Bengal resident
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock after a Coochbehar resident in the state was served an NRC notice by the Assam government, calling it 'a systemic assault on democracy'. She posted on X, 'I am shocked and deeply disturbed to learn that the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam has issued an NRC notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi and resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar for over 50 years. Despite furnishing valid identity documents, he is being harassed on suspicion of being a 'foreigner/illegal migrant'.' Banerjee claimed, '… It is proof that the ruling BJP dispensation in Assam is attempting to implement NRC in Bengal, where it holds no power or jurisdiction. A premeditated attempt is being made to intimidate, disenfranchise, and target marginalised communities. This unconstitutional overreach is anti-people, and exposes the BJP's dangerous agenda of bulldozing democratic safeguards and erasing the identity of Bengal's people.' She said that the alleged incident calls for 'urgent unity' among all Opposition parties against the BJP's 'divisive and oppressive machinery'. Brajabasi claimed he never went outside the Coochbehar district and that his family has been residents of the area for five generations. The notice mentioned that he has to prove his Indian citizenship by July 15, claiming that his family entered from the Assam border in the 1970s. Brajabasi said he is afraid he will be sent to a detention camp. Meanwhile, BJP MLA and leader Sushil Barman said, 'This is another baseless campaign of TMC. There is no truth in it. If this happened, the West Bengal government has to take responsibility for this.' North Bengal Development Minister and Dinhata TMC MLA Udayan Guha said, 'The BJP is basically anti-Bengali. They are taking revenge on Bengalis because Bengal never voted for the BJP. The Trinamool Congress on their official X handle posted, 'A resident of Dinhata, Cooch Behar is being hunted like a criminal by Assam's Foreigners Tribunal. Despite submitting every valid identity proof, he's being hounded and asked to cough up electoral rolls from every election between 1966 and 2008…' Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More
