Agartala, December 12:
The Amra Bangali party on Thursday staged a protest alleging a rising pattern of targeted violence against Bengali communities in Odisha and other parts of the country. Addressing the media, State Secretary Gouranga Rudra Pal claimed that since the beginning of the year, Bengalis have been repeatedly attacked under the pretext of infiltration, despite being long-standing residents, freedom fighters’ descendants, and citizens with valid documents.
Rudra Pal asserted that Bengali identity, language, and culture are facing systematic assault. He cited alleged attacks on cultural and historical symbols including Rabindranath Tagore’s “Amar Sonar Bangla”, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s “Vande Mataram”, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s “Azad Hind” slogan, and the legacy of social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Referring to a recent incident in Odisha, he claimed that a “planned attack” was carried out on December 7 in Malkangiri district, where local groups allegedly burned down over a hundred houses in a Bengali settlement, causing property damage worth crores. He further alleged that attackers returned the next day and repeated arson and looting in full view of police personnel who did not intervene. Victims, he said, believe such attacks have escalated after the BJP came to power in Odisha.
The party also accused Congress MLA Mangu Khilla of delivering an inflammatory speech in the Odisha Assembly on December 8, allegedly inciting hatred against Bengalis.
Amra Bangali leaders highlighted that Bengali settlements in Odisha date back to 1964 and emphasised historic ties, noting that regions like Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar once shared cultural affinity with greater Bengal. Cities such as Cuttack—birthplace of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose—and Bhubaneswar continue to host significant Bengali populations.
Condemning what they termed a “fresh wave of violence”, the Tripura State Committee placed several demands before the Odisha government and the Centre: immediate arrests of those involved in the Malkangiri attacks, full compensation and rehabilitation for affected families, and the creation of a self-sufficient socio-economic region under Article 3 to safeguard Bengali rights. The party warned that its movement will continue until these demands are fulfilled.
