Linguistic Apartheid continues? CU students got assaulted, were called Bangladeshi for speaking Bengali

Around 12 Calcutta University students who reside at Carmichael Hostel were injured on Wednesday night. They said that they were attacked by local shopkeepers. The attack caused commotion in the Sealdah area. The students claimed they were abused and verbally attacked for speaking Bengali. Two people were arrested by the police on Thursday for the attack.

What went down?

The students claimed the trouble began when one of them at Carmichael Hostel had gone to purchase mobile accessories at a stall close to Sealdah Bridge.

While bargaining, he got into a heated arguement with the shopkeeper, who allegedly abused and assaulted him, so far so even went on calling him a Bangladeshi for using Bengali.

The student informed this to his hostelmates, and a group of students later went to confront the shopkeeper. There, the traders surrounded them, threatened them, and abused them, insisting repeatedly that they speak Hindi.

When they were attempting to go back to their hostel, a group of traders carrying sticks, rods, and knives attacked them. Police also added the students were referred to as Rohingyas during the attack.

Students protest

Violence escalated with other students in Carmichael Hostel learning of the attack and planning to demonstrate at Muchipara Police Station. They also filed a written complaint at the local police station.

” They were threatening me in Hindi, referred to me as Bangladeshi, and dared me to do something if I was brave enough. My mobile was taken away and they even tore my clothes,” Afridi Mollah, one of the victims of the attacked students. He further stated that the sellers had attacked him and his friends.

Masum Miya, who was also attacked, stated, “We asked them to use Bengali because they were continuously talking in Hindi. We do not comprehend Hindi all that well.” We feel threatened even for using our mother tongue, Bengali.”

According to sources, two of the accused were arrested on Thursday morning. They are set to be produced at a city court during the day.