West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed that a Bengali-speaking migrant woman and her child were threatened and harassed in Delhi. Speaking on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, she said the woman and child were targeted simply for speaking Bengali.
The Chief Minister posted a video on social media showing the woman with her child. In the clip, she said they were attacked in the capital city and taken to multiple police stations. Mamata Banerjee said this incident was just one example of how migrants are being mistreated in some states.
She said, “They were taken to several police stations as I had feared. They were threatened. We want them to come back to Bengal. The truth will come out eventually.”
What did Delhi Police say about the video?
In response, the Delhi Police denied all claims and called the video “fabricated” and “politically motivated.” Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Dhania stated that they investigated the video right after it was shared.
According to DCP Dhania, the woman later admitted that her relative, who is a political worker from Malda district in West Bengal, had asked her to record the video. The clip was first spread locally in Bengal before going viral on social media.
Mamata Banerjee also urged all Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states to return home if they are facing any type of harassment or abuse. She stressed that West Bengal welcomes its people and wants to ensure their safety.
This situation has now turned into a political controversy, with accusations and denials being exchanged between West Bengal’s leadership and Delhi’s authorities.
The Chief Minister also linked this issue to a wider campaign. She recently launched a “language movement” to protect Bengali-speaking people outside the state. Banerjee said people should not be targeted or punished for speaking their native language, especially in a diverse country like India.
The case continues to raise serious questions about the safety and dignity of migrant families living outside their home states. It has also sparked discussions online about how language and politics often become tools for division.