TMC asks BJP to ensure safety of Bengalis in Assam

The reported killing of Bengalis in Assam was raised in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with TMC members asking the BJP government to stop the "dirty politics" and ensure safety of Bengali people in the state.

TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi and Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the matter during the Zero Hour.

Trivedi said a TMC delegation has visited Assam. "Bengalis in Assam are being killed in broad daylight...Bengal has always been pro-India. Dirty politics of BJP has to stop and you must stop killing of Bengalis in Assam," he said.

Chowdhury said Bengalis move out of West Bengal in search of livelihood but are not feeling safe in Gujarat, UP and Assam.

"In Assam they are killed. The Centre should ask the state to ensure safety of Bengalis," he added.

There were media reports of killing of migrant labourers from West Bengal by unidentified men in Assam.

Separately, Idris Ali (TMC) demanded that January 23-- the birthday of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose -- be declared as a National Holiday.

Tej Pratap Singh (SP) raised the issue of the alleged stopping of party president Akhilesh Yadav at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in a bid to prevent him from visiting Allahabad to attend an oath-taking ceremony at Allahabad University.

"The Centre should ask the state government to allow Akhilesh Yadav to go to Allahabad University," Singh said.