Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (December 30, 2025) to highlight what he described as a spate of “attacks” on Bengali-speaking people across the country, particularly in BJP-ruled States
The meeting comes ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled for March-April next year. Amid speculation about his political future within the Congress, Mr. Chowdhury sought to downplay the significance of the interaction. “There is no political angle. I came to Delhi a few days ago; coincidentally, I got to meet him [Mr. Modi],” he told reporters.
Mr. Chowdhury, who lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, resigned as the West Bengal Congress chief soon after. In September, the party replaced him with Subhankar Sarkar. His strained ties with the Congress’s central leadership stemmed from his strong anti-Trinamool Congress stance and remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which often embarrassed the party at the national level.
Matua issue
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the former five-time MP said he also raised issues concerning the Matua community. He had earlier accused both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP of exploiting the backward Matua community as a vote bank while failing to address their concerns, particularly the uncertainty surrounding their inclusion in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Matuas, a Dalit Hindu refugee community that migrated from Bangladesh over decades due to religious persecution, have a significant presence in North 24 Parganas, Nadia, and parts of South 24 Parganas.
Mr. Chowdhury said the Prime Minister assured him that the Centre is closely monitoring the situation in West Bengal.
On the attacks against Bengali speakers, Mr. Chowdhury also wrote to Mr. Modi, stating: “Their only offence is that they speak the Bengali language. They are often mistaken by the administration for people from neighbouring Bangladesh and treated as infiltrators.”
He added that both the State administration and the police have failed to distinguish between “Banglabhasi” (Bengali speakers) and “Bangladeshi”. Many, he claimed, have been sent to detention centres without committing any offence. He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that State governments are sensitised to stop such discrimination.
