Mamata’s language change: ‘Non-Bengalis will have to learn to speak Bengali’

Alleging that the BJP was responsible for spreading violence in West Bengal, the Chief Minister said there was no place for hooliganism here.

“I will not tolerate criminals who stay in Bengal and roam around on bikes. Police will take action against them. If non-Bengalis continue to target Bengali-speaking people, then will people of Bengal keep quiet? We don’t want to drive out people from here like Biharis were driven out from Maharashtra and Gujarat. But how long will they tolerate if you live in Bengal and scare Bengalis? I will not tolerate this,” she said.

“The BJP is targeting Bengalis and minorities. They are trying to create an atmosphere of communal tension by spreading the venom of religious fundamentalism. They are instigating post-poll violence in the state. They were trying to create differences between Rajbongshis and Bengalis, Gorkhas and Bengalis and were also instigating Biharis and people from UP who live in the state,” she said.

Other parties, she said, will not gain by abusing her. “You will not gain anything by abusing me. The more you abuse me, the more seats we will win. It is easier to hurl abuses at Mamata Banerjee because she is not a daughter of a crorepati,” she said.