Kolkata, February 13 Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee met the family members of a migrant worker from West Bengal, who was killed in Pune district of Maharashtra, and demanded that the police in the western state ensure justice for the deceased.
The BJP accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of spreading misinformation over the incident.
The TMC national general secretary visited the residence of Sukhen Mahato in Purulia, and said strict punishment must be ensured for all those involved in the killing, even as he warned that the party would extend legal and political support to the family if the investigation faltered.
"The Maharashtra Police should ensure that the family receives justice. If those involved get bail, the police should oppose it," Banerjee told reporters outside the family's residence.
Escalating the attack, he said, "If they cannot do it, transfer the case to us; we will solve the case within 50 days."
Banerjee said the state administration, on the directions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had already initiated contact with authorities in Maharashtra and the Koregaon Bhima police administration to ensure coordination and strict action.
"We came to know about this painful incident the day before yesterday. The CM expressed grief and condolence, and instructed the administration to coordinate with Maharashtra so that strict punishment is awarded," said the MP who is considered number two in the TMC hierarchy.
Referring to a purported video circulating online, Banerjee described the assault as "barbaric" and said the victim's family was devastated.
The TMC leader recounted how Mahato's brothers, who also worked in an auto-parts unit in Koregaon Bhima, lost contact with him before being informed of his death.
He said the family was assured of legal aid and that the party would pursue the matter in courts if required. "It is not enough to arrest someone for a few days. If bail is granted, bail cancellation appeals should be filed. We will help the family fight this legal battle," he said.
Banerjee, however, said the exact cause of death remained a matter of investigation and insisted he did not want to politicise the tragedy.
At the same time, he alleged that incidents involving Bengali migrants had occurred in several BJP-ruled states in recent months and called for vigilance.
He urged the BJP MP from Purulia, Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, to intervene and speak to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure speedy justice.
"I would expect the MP to rise above party lines and act. Where is the urgency when people are being killed?" he said, adding that if all the accused were not arrested and the trial did not begin in time, the TMC would send a delegation of MLAs to Maharashtra along with the family members.
Banerjee also announced that rallies would be held across assembly segments, blocks and towns on Saturday to demand strict punishment for those responsible.
His remarks come a day after Mamata Banerjee termed the killing a "hate crime" in a post on X, saying she was "shaken, enraged and sickened" by the murder of the migrant worker, whom she described as the sole earning member of his family.
However, Pune rural police have said the victim was killed following an argument in a drunken state and that there was "no other angle" to the incident.
According to police, the incident occurred on February 9 in Koregaon under the Shikrapur police station limits, and two persons have been held in connection with the case.
Responding to Banerjee's remarks, the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that a misinformation campaign was being carried out over deaths of migrant workers.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, BJP state chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said preliminary investigation findings, CCTV footage and the FIR details in the case did not suggest any linguistic motive.
He alleged that isolated incidents involving Bengali workers outside the state were being portrayed as linguistic attacks for political reasons, which could create fear and disturb social harmony.
"Any death or incident of violence is unfortunate and the culprits must be punished, but narratives should not be built before investigations are complete," Sarkar said, urging people to rely on verified facts.
He also said migration for employment reflected broader socio-economic issues and accused political rivals of exploiting tragedies instead of addressing job creation.
The BJP spokesperson cautioned that "irresponsible reporting" and premature political conclusions could harm the interests and safety of migrant workers across states.
