Hemmed in by controversies Bengal Chief Minister has opened a new flank of friction. Raking up the divisive rhetoric of outsider-insider politics, she strongly rooted for linguistic nationalism. “If you are coming to Bengal,you have to speak Bengali. We would not allow that people will come from outside and beat Bengalis”. It is true that in spite of winning 18 out of 42 seats in the 2019 state elections the BJP is still perceived as a Hindi belt party in Bengal. But still a large number of Hindus in Bengal voted for BJP this time. Now Mamata is trying desperately to create a divide between Bengali and non-Bengali communities on the basis of linguistic identity, there by trying to turn the table on BJP.
The fear of outsiders and how they can be used to stoke nativism among local population has been used time and again to hide failures of government. It stems from the single ideology to hijack the political sphere. The Bengalis in Bengal has been migrated to other states for better employment, social security and a better standard of living. The incidents of violence instill fear in the minds of the people from minority communities. What they fear most is the possibility of India turning into Hindu-Pakistan where the minorities would be tortured just like many Hindus in Pakistan were The recently concluded general elections in West Bengal were marked by violence as workers of various party clashed with each other. There are better ways to promote a language than to shove it down the throat of native speakers .People learn a language when there is economic benefit accruing from it .The fear of outsiders and how they can be used to stoke nativism among local population has been used time and again to hide failures of government
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bangla-pokkho-the-outfit-fighting-for-the-rights-of-bengalis/cid/1681567
In 2017 Bangla Pokko was formed a Bengali rights group against “Hindi imperialism” is gaining influence in West Bengal. In the 1960s an attempt was made to polarize voters with the campaign, “Amra Bangali” (We are Bengalis but that was rejected forthright by the Bengali society. Benefit for the son of soil may have run its course to fight Narendra Modi Opposition will have to find another trope. There are better ways to promote a language than to shove it down the throat of native speakers. People learn a language when there is economic benefit accruing from it .The fear of outsiders and how they can be used to stoke nativism among local population has been used time and again to hide failures of government.
Mamata Banerjee has to fight with BJP and win, she look at improving the state’s economy. As a democratically elected leader it’s her job to protect all citizens not threaten non Bengali ones. After all she should remember that the Constitution does not allow citizens to be discriminated against on the ground of language. As a rattled Mamata Banerjee and TMC prepare for 2021 assembly elections in the state she would do well to remember this lesson from history.
