Students attacked in West Bengal for speaking Bengali; branded as Bangladeshis by Hindi-speaking traders

Kolkata: In a shocking and bizarre incident, Bengalis were beaten up in Kolkata after being branded as Bangladeshis by a group of Hindi-speaking traders in West Bengal.

Four students of the University of Calcutta were beaten up by a group of Hindi-speaking traders in Sealdah station area in north Kolkata for speaking in Bengali, after an altercation broke out between them over the price of a mobile phone cover.

The police on Thursday said that a complaint has been lodged by the students at Muchipara Police Station. No one has been arrested. The injured students were taken to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital for treatment.

The incident comes in the backdrop of harassment and attacks on Bengali migrant workers in BJP-ruled states. However, it has taken everyone by surprise that Bengalis are now facing attacks for speaking the Bengali language in West Bengal.

It is learnt that on Wednesday night, a student of Calcutta University's Carmichael Hostel went to a mobile equipment shop under the Sealdah Bridge to buy mobile covers. The student got into a minor argument with one of the sellers while bargaining for the price.

The student alleged that the vendor in question was speaking in Hindi and abused him in Hindi for speaking in Bengali. The student went back to the hostel and came back with three of his classmates.

Soon, an altercation broke out between them and all the students were subjected to further harassment for speaking in Bengali. The traders in the area joined in and branded them as Bangladeshis.

As the students protested against this, the traders assaulted them. The injured were given primary treatment at the Calcutta Medical College Hospital. After that, the students filed a written complaint at the Muchipara Police Station and demanded the immediate arrest of the accused.

One of the students said, "They said in Hindi that we are 'Bangladeshi'. When we protested, they beat me. They took away my mobile phone. One man even attacked us with knives."

It may be noted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been raising the issue of harassment and attacks on Bengali migrant workers across the country and especially in BJP-ruled states.