Assam govt harassing Bengal resident by branding him as foreign infiltrator, alleges CM Mamata

KOLKATA, (IANS): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a scathing attack against the Assam government accusing it of harassing a resident of Cooch Behar in West Bengal by branding the latter as an infiltrator.

"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," the Chief Minister said in a statement posted on the wall of her official X handle on Tuesday morning.

In her statement, the Chief Minister described this development as a "systematic assault on democracy and proof that the ruling BJP dispensation in Assam was attempting to implement NRC in Bengal".

"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," the Chief Minister added.

In her message, she also gave a call to all non-BJP parties to unite over such developments.

"This alarming situation 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," the Chief Minister said.

The matter of the said person from Dinhata in Cooch Behar district was first highlighted by the Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Samirul Islam, who said, "How a person who got enrolled in the voters' list in 1966, could be served NRC notice."

Last month, the Chief Minister questioned the fresh electoral roll revision guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) before the forthcoming Assembly elections in Bihar scheduled this year and expressed apprehension that these fresh guidelines might be another step towards the implementation of NRC.

She also claimed that although these fresh guidelines have been issued before the Bihar Assembly polls this year, the "main target" of these new guidelines is West Bengal, which is also going for crucial Assembly polls next year.

Reacting to CM Banerjee's observation, the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said that she had realised that the large number of Bangladeshi infiltrators, including those from a Rohingya background, who had been her "dedicated vote bank" for so long, will now be weeded out.