TV
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday strongly dismissed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks that Bengalis were facing harassment in the State.
Speaking at an event in Bhubaneswar, Majhi accused Banerjee of spreading falsehoods and asserted that no Bengali community member was being targeted in the state.
“Mamata Banerjee is lying. No Indian citizen, no Bengali is being harassed or tortured in Odisha,” Majhi said.
The Chief Minister clarified that police checks were limited to identifying suspected illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and that lawful residents were not facing any issues.
“Contrary to her claims, Odisha has been a safe home for Bengalis for decades. After partition and the creation of Bangladesh, our state provided settlements for displaced Bengali minorities in several areas,” he said.
He added that while those with valid documents remained undisturbed, action was taken only against individuals lacking proof of citizenship.
“If Bangladeshi infiltrators sneak in and start taking away the livelihoods of Odia people, we are duty-bound to intervene,” Majhi stated.
The comments came in response to Banerjee’s recent allegations that Bengalis were being attacked in Odisha, a charge that triggered a political row between the two states.
Earlier in May, a video of the West Bengal Chief Minister had gone viral in which she expressed concern over the alleged mistreatment of Bengalis in Odisha.
