Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accentuated Bengali “oshmita” (pride) and simultaneously tried to reach out to the different communities of north Bengal while being critical of the saffron camp and the Centre.

Mamata, while speaking at a public service distribution programme held on the ABPC Ground in Jalpaiguri, referred to recent atrocities faced by the Bengali-speaking migrant workers in some BJP-ruled states.

“The migrant workers from our state are being tortured for speaking in Bengali. I say to them, converse more in Bengali, and I will see what they can do and to what extent they can go. They are sending notices from Assam to our residents in Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri, and pushing back our people (to Bangladesh) just because they are speaking in Bengali,” said the chief minister.

Over the past few months, Mamata and her party leadership have decided to exert pressure on the BJP over the Bengali issue, keeping in mind the 2026 Assembly polls.

Wednesday was no different.

“We will speak in our mother tongue, but we will also learn other languages. We do not disrespect any language. Speak in whichever you prefer. Why should I not speak in Bengali? You cannot control Bengal. Bengal will be run by Bengal, not Delhi,” she said.

During her speech, Mamata also tried to nullify the perception that migrant workers are cold to “Shramashree”, the state’s new scheme under which a migrant worker who has returned home is entitled to get a cash assistance of ₹5,000 every month.

After the scheme was launched, many migrants said that the sum was too little to run their families.

“We have brought back 24,000 migrant workers and their families. They will receive the assistance for at least one year. They would be provided with houses, health insurance cards, free ration and their children would be admitted to schools,” Mamata said.

At the event, Mamata highlighted the slew of social welfare schemes run by her government, while reading out an elaborate dossier on the assistance extended to people.

She claimed that since 2011, the state government has provided 6.56 lakh “pattas” (secured land tenures), which include land rights to tea workers and forest dwellers. “Today, we have given away 11,600 ‘pattas’ in different districts of north Bengal,” said the chief minister.

In the course of her speech, Mamata also touched upon her government's initiatives taken for the Rajbanshis, Gorkhas, tribals and other communities in north Bengal.

Among these are recognition of languages, distribution of land rights, houses, and funds for house construction to the tea workers, infrastructural development in the hills, and setting up of institutions like the Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, named after Panchanan Barma, the most-revered social reformer of the Rajbanshis.

“A decision has been made so that tea workers get bonus at 20 per cent rate. The chief secretary will monitor to ensure that each tea estate pays the stipulated bonus ahead of the festivities,” she said.

“We have reopened several tea estates. Those who had made tall talk of reopening the gardens ahead of the elections did nothing for the tea industry,” she added.

Mamata also flagged the issue of flash floods and erosion caused by the rivers descending from Bhutan, a problem with which residents across the Dooars region can easily relate.

“We want a proper system in place so that we can work jointly with Bhutan to address flash floods and erosion. The Centre is not taking any effective step in this regard. Every year, people in north Bengal face inconveniences and even become homeless,” she said.

The Centre, she alleged, stopped providing funds to Bengal to check floods and erosion.

Without naming her political opponents, Mamata alleged she was being insulted every day.

“I tolerate it considering the interests of the state. These people plan to make Bengal another Gujarat, but we won't let it happen,” she said.