‘Direct insult to language in which National Anthem was written’: MK Stalin

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for calling out the Delhi police for allegedly referring to Bengali as a Bangladeshi language, labelling it a “direct insult to the very language in which the National Anthem is composed.”

Stalin said that statements like these were not “inadvertent errors” but exposed the dark mindset of a regime that undermines diversity.

“The Delhi Police, under the Union Home Ministry, has described Bengali as a ‘Bangladeshi language.’ This is a direct insult to the very language in which our National Anthem was written. Such statements are not inadvertent errors or slips. They expose the dark mindset of a regime that consistently undermines diversity and weaponises identity,” Stalin posed on X.

“In the face of this assault on non-Hindi languages, Mamata Banerjee stands as a shield for the language and people of West Bengal. She will not let this attack pass without a fitting response,” he added.

Meanwhile, amid chaos over Delhi police allegedly referring to Bengali as Bangladeshi language in a communication note, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amti Malviya on Monday morning hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, suggesting that she be booked under the National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly inciting linguistic conflict.

He argued that her reaction to the entire issue was “misplaced and dangerously inflammatory”, while adding that Delhi Police’s letter does not describe Bangla as a ‘Bangladeshi’ language.

“Mamata Banerjee’s reaction to Delhi Police referring to the language used by infiltrators as ‘Bangladeshi’ is not just misplaced, it is dangerously inflammatory. Nowhere in the Delhi Police letter is Bangla or Bengali described as a ‘Bangladeshi’ language. To claim otherwise and call upon Bengalis to rise against the Centre is deeply irresponsible. Mamata Banerjee should be held accountable–perhaps even under the National Security Act–for inciting linguistic conflict,” Malviya posted on X.

Earlier, Banerjee on Sunday accused the Delhi Police of describing Bengali as a “Bangladeshi language”, calling it scandalous, anti-national and unconstitutional.

Sharing a letter by Delhi Police on X, Banerjee said, “See now how Delhi police under the direct control of the Ministry of Home, Government of India, is describing Bengali as ‘Bangladeshi’ language! Bengali, our mother tongue, the language of Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda, the language in which our National Anthem and the National Song (the latter by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay) are written, the language in which crores of Indians speak and write, the language which is sanctified and recognised by the Constitution of India, is now described as a Bangladeshi language!!”

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammed (Md) Salim also trained guns on Delhi Police, calling it “illiterate”, posted on X,

“Will the ‘illiterate’ [?]Delhi Police tell us what’s this ‘Bangladeshi language’? Moreover, why Delhi Police has failed to make their officers aware of the 8th Schedule of our Constitution.” (ANI)