"Terror Unleashed On...": Trinamool-BJP Tug-Of-War On Bengali Pride

Every year, July 21 is marked as Shahid Diwas or Martyrs' Day by the Trinamool Congress to remember those who died in 1993 during a protest by West Bengal Youth Congress under Mamata Banerjee. Today, party workers and supporters reached Kolkata's Dharamtala to listen to Ms Banerjee. With elections scheduled early next year, the Trinamool Congress' pitch was louder and more pointed.

The Chief Minister of West Bengal claimed that migrant workers from West Bengal are being targeted in BJP-ruled states because of the language they speak. This came three days after Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally on July 18.

Mamata Banerjee addressed a large gathering of supporters today in Kolkata

"Terror has been unleashed on the Bengali language. Over 1,000 have been detained, sent to jail in BJP-ruled states like Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. This is a conspiracy against the Bengali community. Bengal will not tolerate this," Ms Banerjee claimed.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Durgapur, claimed it's only the BJP-led NDA that has given respect to the Bengali language by bestowing the classical language tag.

He dismissed claims of Bengalis being targeted in states where his party is in power. "For the BJP, Bengali ashmita is paramount. Wherever there's a BJP government, Bengalis are respected. Bengali language is respected. We will not allow this conspiracy against Bengali pride to succeed. The BJP is the only party that truly respects it," the Prime Minister said.

With Bengali identity and pride at the core of the political battle between the two parties in the state, the Chief Minister also promised a Durga Maa temple in West Bengal during her speech, just like the Jagannath Dham inaugurated this year in Digha.

On the other hand, the BJP has appointed Samik Bhattacharya, a "bangali bhodrolok", to lead the party this poll season. So much so, the BJP is raising Jai Maa Kali slogans instead of their popular Jai Sri Ram cry in the state that worships powerful goddesses like Maa Kali and Maa Durga.

Speaking in Kolkata, party's national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee said," When you force the party to raise Jai Maa Kali slogan instead of Jai Sri Ram, you know we have won half the battle."