Attack on migrants has received national attention, will be sorted out, says WB Governor

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Friday (August 8, 2025) expressed hope that the matter involving the targeting and harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants has received national attention and would be sorted out in a satisfactory manner.

“This is an issue which has received national attention. We are a mature democracy. We will be able to sort out such issues in a satisfactory manner. The process is on I am sure that the nation will get justice…,” the Governor said responding to question on harassment of migrants.

The remarks by the Governor assume significance as thousands of migrants from the State have been detained and harassed in the BJP ruled states. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called for a ‘language movement’ to protest against the targeting of migrants for speaking in Bengali language.

This is the first occasion that the Governor has spoken about targeting of migrants. Meanwhile, the reports of harassment of migrants continue in different parts of West Bengal.

Chairperson of West Bengal Migrant Welfare Board Samirul Islam on Thursday visited various Bengali settlements in Gurugram and spoke the residents there. “Most of the Bengali migrant workers from almost all the slums have already returned to our West Bengal. Those who have stayed there for work and family are spending their days in fear and anxiety. They are in panic just for speaking Bengali,” the Trinamool MP said.

Mr. Islam said that the (migrant workers from West Bengal living in Gurugram) have been here for 20-25 years and the BJP has created such a strange atmosphere that ordinary people are being labelled as Bangladeshis just for speaking Bengali.

West Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha said that Trinamool Congress leadership was misleading the people on this issue. “Bengalis living in West Bengal and Bangladesh speak Bangla, but there is a difference in the language spoken by people in the neighbouring country. The TMC is fighting for the Bangladeshi language,” Mr. Sinha claimed.