Bengali Misnamed ‘Bangladeshi Language’ by Delhi Police, Triggers Nationwide Fury
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the letter “scandalous, anti-national, and an insult to every Bengali-speaking Indian.
KOLKATA- A letter from the Delhi Police has triggered a massive backlash after it referred to Bengali as a “Bangladeshi language”, provoking condemnation from political leaders, cultural icons, and Bengali-speaking citizens across India.
The letter, issued on August 3 by Lodhi Colony Police Station to Banga Bhawan (West Bengal’s guest house in Delhi), sought translation assistance related to the arrest of eight alleged illegal Bangladeshi nationals.
However, the phrasing used — describing Bengali as a “Bangladeshi language” — has been denounced as deeply offensive and unconstitutional, given that Bengali is one of India’s 22 official languages under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and the language of the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the letter “scandalous, anti-national, and an insult to every Bengali-speaking Indian.” At a rally in Kolkata, she urged people across India to protest this “deliberate humiliation”, accusing the BJP-led central government of harboring “anti-Bengali sentiments.”
TMC MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Mahua Moitra echoed her outrage. Moitra demanded an apology and disciplinary action, dismissing any notion of a clerical error. “This is not a mistake—it’s a mindset,” she said.\
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Criticism also came from beyond Bengal. TIPRA Motha’s Pradyot Debbarman in Tripura called the remark “linguistically dangerous,” while the CPI(M) labeled it a “criminalisation of identity.”
Cultural figures joined the chorus. Filmmaker Srijit Mukherji said, “It’s not a Bangladeshi language—it’s Bangla, spoken by millions in India.” Singer Rupam Islam called it a “disturbing show of ignorance.”
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The BJP attempted damage control. Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya claimed the reference was aimed at dialect differences in the suspects’ documents. Amit Malviya blamed Mamata Banerjee for politicizing the issue, calling her statements “inflammatory and divisive.”
Yet, this hasn’t quelled public anger. TMC leaders led protests in Kolkata, demanding an official apology and better linguistic sensitivity from the police and the central government. As of now, Delhi Police has not issued any public clarification or apology, further stoking resentment.
This controversy has ignited fresh debate about linguistic marginalization, the treatment of regional identities, and the importance of respecting India’s cultural diversity.
