Odisha BJP state president Manmohan Samal has dismissed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegations regarding the murder of a migrant worker from her state in Sambalpur as baseless.
Samal emphasised that politics should not be played on such sensitive issues and suggested that Banerjee’s remarks are motivated by the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal scheduled for March.
It may be recalled that on December 24, a migrant worker named Jewel Rana (also known as Jewel Sheikh) from Jangipur in Murshidabad district of West Bengal was beaten to death by a group of locals in Sambalpur’s Shantinagar area. The incident reportedly began over a dispute involving a request for a beedi (local cigarette), though some reports suggest the victim was attacked on suspicion of being a Bangladeshi national. Police have arrested six accused individuals, and the investigation is ongoing.
Banerjee took to social media yesterday to condemn the incident, stating that Bengali-speaking people are facing brutal atrocities in BJP-ruled states. She mentioned that migrant workers from the Jangipur area are returning home in fear and that she is in touch with their families, strongly denouncing the violence.
In response, Samal stated that Banerjee’s accusations lack any foundation and described the incident as condemnable. He urged that instead of politicising the matter, discussions should focus on preventing such occurrences in the future. “Strict action should be taken wherever migrant workers face torture, whether in Odisha, West Bengal, or any other state in India. Atrocities or violations of human rights should not happen anywhere,” he said. Samal speculated that Banerjee’s statements might be driven by the March elections or some other ulterior motive.
