Assault on job aspirants from Bihar in West Bengal sparks a political row

The two accused, in Siliguri police custody now, are said to be associated with Bangla Pokkho, a group that claims to promote “Bengali nationalism” and “protect Bengali culture”. Union Minister from Bihar Giriraj Singh targets Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asks, “Are these children not part of India?”

A political controversy has erupted over a video in which a group of men are purportedly seen assaulting and abusing two job aspirants from Bihar in Siliguri town of West Bengal.

The video, which is now on social media, shows two youths from Bihar, said to be appearing for recruitment in the central para military forces, being heckled by a group of people and questioned about their domicile. The accused shouted at them, searched their documents and made them do squats holding their ears.

“A video was in circulation on social media where two persons claiming them as IB officers were seen assaulting and abusing two other persons in Siliguri. Those two persons have been identified, their claim of being the IB officers is fake and they have been arrested,” the Siliguri Police Commissionerate had posted on X on Thursday (September 26, 2024).

The two accused, Rajat Bhattacharya and Giridhari Roy, were produced before a court in Siliguri on Friday and remanded to two days of police custody. While being produced in a court, Mr. Bhattacharya remained unfazed and said that people from other states cannot appear in recruitment drives in West Bengal.

According to some reports, the accused are associated with Bangla Pokkho, a group that claims to promote “Bengali nationalism” and “protect Bengali culture”. Over the past few years, the issue of ‘Bahirgata’ (outsiders) has dominated the State politics and was at the centre of discourse during the 2021 Assembly polls.

The development at Siliguri, however, had evoked strong reaction from political circles. Union Minister and BJP leader from Bihar Giriraj Singh targeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the incident. “Red carpet for Rohingya Muslims in Bengal and Bihar kids beaten up for taking exams? Are these children not part of India? Has Mamata government taken the contract of only saving rapists?” Mr. Singh said. Union Minister Chirag Paswan called the attack on Bihari students in Bengal “unfortunate and condemnable”.

Former Barrackpore MP and BJP leader Arjun Singh also expressed concern and sought action from the West Bengal police. “Bengali youths can go to Bihar and UP for such recruitments also, what is the harm in it? Many youths from West Bengal took part in the Teacher’s recruitment in Bihar recently. Everyone is free in India to go to any part of India for employment and business. This kind of cheap mentality very bad for the sovereignty of our country?” he wrote on social media.

Published - September 27, 2024 09:46 pm IST