Calcutta University Students Attacked For 'Speaking Bengali', Allegedly Branded As Bangladeshis By Traders

Kolkata: Several students from Calcutta University's Carmichael Hostel were attacked by traders for allegedly speaking Bengali near Sealdah’s Shishir Market. The assault occurred on Thursday night when a student went to buy a mobile cover but got into a dispute with the shopkeeper.

The incident comes in the backdrop of ruling Trinamool Congress's allegation of harassment and attacks on Bengali migrant workers in BJP-ruled states. This incident has taken on a political dimension with the SFI, the CPI(M)'s students' wing, accusing hands of TMC and BJP behind the alleged assault.

The situation turned worse after the shopkeeper and others allegedly thrashed the student. To make the situation more hostile, a group of the affected student's friends were also beaten up with sticks, hockey sticks, and sharp objects.

The attackers allegedly taunted the students, calling them "Bangladeshis" simply for speaking in Bengali. Two students are in critical condition following the assault. Despite informing the police that night, no action was initially taken, leading to a protest by the students at Muchipara police station.

Kolkata Police DC (Central) Indira Mukherjee said, "The shop owner Deepak Kumar Sau and his assistant Imtiaz Ali have been arrested." According to the affected students, on Wednesday night, one of their classmates went to buy a mobile phone cover at a shop near Vidyapati Setu in Sealdah. The buyer did not like the cover and wanted to return it to the shop. The shopkeeper allegedly beat up the student after an initial argument.

The student returned to the hostel and informed his classmates about the incident. Thereafter, four students from the same hostel went to the spot to find out the reason. During the time, some more shopkeepers joined and allegedly beat the students.

Afridi Mollah, who was allegedly beaten up, said, "I was assaulted in the neck and back with hockey sticks. My clothes were torn. Despite my repeated requests, the attackers did not spare me. Instead, they asked me why I was speaking in Bengali and branded me as a Bangladeshi."

Another student, Masum Mian, also narrated the attack, "After my classmates were attacked, we went back to the scene to find out what happened. The shopkeeper, who beat my friends, denied his involvement. A few more businessmen soon gathered and started abusing us. They were talking in Hindi. They were abusing us. We said we didn't understand Hindi and requested them to speak in Bengali. After that, they taunted us by calling us Bangladeshis."

He continued, "I was slapped in my right ear. Besides, our other classmates also sustained injuries in their backs with hockey sticks." Carmichael alumni also joined the protest at the police station over the alleged attack. Tajbul Haque, a former student, said, "I strongly condemn the attack on the students of Calcutta University's Carmichael Hostel by Hindi-speaking shopkeepers in the Sealdah area for speaking Bengali. These miscreants brutally attacked them with bats, hockey sticks and knives. However, the only crime of the ordinary students of Carmichael Hostel was that they spoke Bengali. After the incident, the ordinary residents and students of Carmichael Hostel collectively created resistance. In the face of resistance, the shopkeepers and miscreants were forced to flee the area.''

This incident triggered tension in the Sealdah area. Haque said more than 10 seriously injured students of Carmichael Hostel were taken to Kolkata Medical College and Hospital for treatment in this incident. He said an FIR was finally registered by cops at Muchipara police station after students of Carmichael staged a protest on Thursday morning.

Tajbul also expressed concern over the safety of university students from North Bengal, Malda, Murshidabad and several districts. He demanded exemplary punishment of culprits and threatened to launch an agitation if the attackers are not punished.

SFI state secretary Debanjan De said, ''Minority students from different parts of the state study at the Carmichael Hostel. Students in Kolkata are not safe." He further said the authorities must guarantee the safety of the students. De also alleged that the attack was carried out with the covert support of the BJP-RSS and Trinamool. "Why didn't the police want to file the complaint first? How can such an incident happen in the heart of Kolkata? The university authorities must take responsibility. People can speak any language in Bengal, which is a melting pot of cultures," he added.