Sukanta Majumdar questions Howrah Police response, slams Byapari’s separate Bengal flag demand | Watch

Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar has criticized the law and order situation in West Bengal, stating that it has worsened significantly. Referring to a statement by the Director General of Police (DGP), who had earlier said that if one bullet is fired at the police, they will retaliate with four, Majumdar questioned the response of the police in Howrah. “When police were fired at in Howrah, how many bullets were fired in return?” he asked. His remarks come amid concerns over rising incidents of violence in the state.

Majumdar also targeted Balagarh TMC MLA Manoranjan Byapari over his recent demand for a separate flag for West Bengal. Byapari had proposed that the state should have its own flag, similar to the state song, arguing that it would represent Bengal’s distinct cultural and historical identity. He stated, “Other states have their own state songs and state flags. We have received our state song. There should be a discussion about having a unique flag for our state as well.”

Criticizing Byapari, Majumdar claimed that the MLA had forgotten his history. He alleged that Byapari had migrated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to India to escape religious persecution but was now advocating for Bengal’s separation from India. “He couldn’t sustain secularism in Bangladesh, fled to India to save his religion, and now he wants to isolate Bengal from India,” Majumdar remarked. He further warned that as long as such figures remain in the ruling Trinamool Congress, the people of West Bengal will continue to suffer.

Byapari defended his proposal by citing examples of other Indian states that have their own flags. He emphasized that Bengal’s literary, cultural, and intellectual heritage deserves unique representation. “Bengali literature, culture, and intellect are globally recognized, and our language has received international status,” he said. He argued that having a separate state flag would not challenge India’s unity but would instead highlight Bengal’s rich heritage.