The Trinamool Congress will hold a march in Siliguri on Saturday to protest against what it alleges systematic harassment of Bengali-speaking people in various states ruled by the BJP and the issuance of an NRC notice to a Rajbanshi resident from Dinhata in Cooch Behar.

Gautam Deb, senior Trinamool leader and Siliguri mayor, accused the BJP-led central government of targeting the people of Bengal and creating unrest in Siliguri.

“We are seeing not only harassment of Bengali-speaking people and members of the Rajbanshi community in different states, but also a deliberate attempt to disturb the peace and harmony in Siliguri to derail the state’s development efforts,” Deb said.

The protest rally, he said, is a response to the NRC notice served on Rajbanshi farmer Uttam Kumar Brajabashi in Dinhata, which the party views as part of a broader pattern of exclusion and intimidation. “We have decided to take to the streets to protest these divisive moves. The march will reflect our united stand against such harassment,” Deb said at a media conference at Trinamool’s Darjeeling (plains) district office on Thursday.

The march will begin from Bagha Jatin Park on Saturday afternoon and pass through Kachari Road, Hill Cart Road, Sevoke More, before concluding at Mahatma Gandhi More in the city.

At the media conference, Deb was accompanied by Sanjay Tibrewal, chairman of Trinamool’s district (plains) unit, Ranjan Sarkar, deputy mayor of Siliguri, and Alok Chakraborty, Trinamool’s state general secretary.

Deb said: “There are efforts to incite unrest and disrupt the harmony of Siliguri, something that has not happened before. We urge all peace-loving citizens to reject these attempts to divide us.”