Is Mamata Banerjee Highlighting the 'Harassment' Faced by Bengali-speaking Individuals?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mamata Banerjee asserts that Bengali-speaking individuals face discrimination in BJP-ruled states.
- The importance of preserving the Bengali language is emphasized.
- The Kanyashree scheme has positively impacted over 93 lakh young women in West Bengal.
- Women’s empowerment is crucial for societal advancement.
- Financial support under the Kanyashree initiative amounts to 17,500 crore taka.
Kolkata, Aug 14 (NationPress) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday emphasized her claims that individuals who speak Bengali are facing harassment in states governed by the BJP.
“Do those who seek to discriminate against Bengalis understand the language spoken by revered figures such as Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Kavi Nazrul Islam, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose? Refugees who arrived in our nation are now recognized as citizens. If there are unlawful infiltrators, the Union government should address them, and I have no comments on that. However, there should be no unwarranted harassment of individuals simply for speaking Bengali,” the Chief Minister stated during an event celebrating 'Kanyashree Day.'
During her address, she mentioned receiving reports of a person being denied a hotel room in Noida solely due to his Bengali language.
“Learning the English language is essential. However, that doesn’t imply that Bengali will fade into obscurity,” the Chief Minister remarked.
She also highlighted that currently over 93 lakh young women in West Bengal have benefited from the state’s Kanyashree scheme. “We aim to ensure this number surpasses 1 crore soon,” she added.
“I firmly believe that a society lacking in women's well-being cannot truly prosper. Women’s empowerment is critical for societal advancement. It fills me with pride that today there are over 93 lakh 'Kanyashree women' in our state. We have allocated 17,500 crore taka to them under this initiative. We don’t merely speak about women’s empowerment; we actively implement it,” she asserted.
The 'Kanyashree Prakalpa' is a targeted cash transfer initiative designed to combat child marriage and ensure girls remain in schools and educational institutions.