The Trinamool Congress launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday, following the return of Sunali Khatun to her home in West Bengal. Khatun had allegedly been pushed into neighbouring Bangladesh by authorities in a controversial deportation move.
A Victory for Bengal, Says TMC Leadership
State Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja led the charge, accusing the BJP of branding a pregnant Bengali woman as a foreigner. "With Sunali Khatun returning home, BJP's entire project of humiliation has collapsed," Panja stated. She alleged a misuse of power and a flouting of procedure that threw a pregnant woman into profound uncertainty, asserting that truth had ultimately defeated their lies.
Sources indicated that TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will soon meet Khatun and her family. Banerjee framed the incident as a broader political struggle. "This is a victory for Bengal," he said. "We did not bow down to the tyranny of Delhi's zamindars against the people of Bengal." He further accused the "anti-Bengal BJP" of illegally deporting many more Bengalis and vowed that the fight to bring them back would continue.
Allegations of State-Sponsored Terror and Fabricated Data
Addressing reporters at Trinamool Bhawan, Minister Shashi Panja condemned the central government's actions in strong terms. She labelled the 'identity verification drive' as a politically motivated witch-hunt. Panja posed critical questions about the procedure: "How can anyone be deported on the basis of mere suspicion? How can any government justify dragging out a pregnant woman, blindfolding her, and pushing her family across an international border in the middle of the night?"
She described the act as deliberate cruelty, revealing that the family was even threatened with being shot if they dared to return. "This is State-sponsored terror," Panja concluded.
State Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya provided details of the documentation presented by Sunali Khatun's family to prove their Indian citizenship. The evidence included:
- Aadhaar cards and voter IDs
- Land deeds dating back to 1952
- Birth certificates
- Documents proving the family's presence in Bengal for generations
Bhattacharya noted that villagers had confirmed the family's status and that the names of Sunali's parents were listed in the 2002 voter rolls, as per data on the CEO West Bengal portal. "If these documents are not accepted, what exactly is the Centre looking for? What more proof is needed?" she asked.
The minister made a serious allegation against the Delhi Police, accusing them of fabricating data to claim Sunali entered India in 1998, despite her being born in 2000. "This is not an error, but a conspiracy," Bhattacharya asserted.
Bengal Government's Role and a Clear Message
Chandrima Bhattacharya credited the West Bengal government for Sunali Khatun's return. She stated that it was the West Bengal Migrant Labour Welfare Board that stood by the family, filed habeas corpus petitions, and ensured justice was served. "Bengal protected its people while the Centre tried to destroy their dignity," she said.
The minister sent a clear and defiant message, emphasizing that Bengal will not bow down to politically motivated harassment. The incident has escalated the ongoing political feud between the ruling TMC in West Bengal and the BJP-led central government, centering on issues of identity, federal rights, and the treatment of citizens.
