Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has strongly rebutted West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s allegations that Bengalis were facing harassment in the state, calling her claims “falsehoods.”
Speaking at an event in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, Majhi said: “Mamata Banerjee is lying. No Indian citizen, no Bengali is being harassed or tortured in Odisha.”
The CM clarified that police checks were aimed only at identifying illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, not lawful residents.
“Odisha has been a safe home for Bengalis for decades. After partition and the creation of Bangladesh, our state gave shelter to displaced Bengali minorities. People with valid documents have nothing to worry about,” Majhi said.
He stressed that action was being taken only against undocumented infiltrators who, according to him, threatened the livelihoods of Odias. “If Bangladeshi infiltrators sneak in and take away our people’s jobs, we are duty-bound to act,” he asserted.
Majhi’s remarks came in response to Banerjee’s recent charges that Bengalis were being attacked in Odisha, sparking a fresh political row between the two neighbouring states.
