The ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament has turned into a political battleground between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the former escalating its “Bengali Asmita” (Bengali pride) campaign. The TMC’s latest strategy includes a barrage of pointed Parliamentary questions that reflect its effort to corner the BJP on cultural, religious, and federal issues, with the hope of striking a chord with the Bengali electorate.

This latest phase of confrontation comes shortly after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a symbolic protest march in Kolkata, accusing BJP-ruled states of discriminating against Bengali-speaking migrants. The party is now taking that aggression to the national stage — specifically to both Houses of Parliament, where its MPs are asking carefully framed questions that intertwine regional emotion with national accountability.

Tagore’s Legacy and BJP's Cultural Oversight

A significant question slated for Thursday’s Rajya Sabha session comes from TMC MP Ritabrata Banerjee, who plans to ask the Ministry of Culture whether there is indeed no statue of Rabindranath Tagore at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial. If confirmed, the MP will follow up by demanding an explanation for the omission and inquire if there are any plans to install Tagore’s statue in the future.

This query is not just about a statue — it invokes emotive historical memory. Tagore famously renounced his Knighthood in 1919 in protest of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, making him an enduring symbol of intellectual resistance. For Bengalis, this act is a source of great cultural pride. Therefore, the absence of his statue at such a memorial is viewed by TMC as deliberate erasure, and a political opportunity to reinforce their identity-driven campaign.

By invoking Tagore’s name in Parliament, TMC is making it difficult for the BJP to respond without appearing either culturally insensitive or politically motivated.

Bangladesh Hindus and MEA Accountability

In another carefully crafted move, Sagarika Ghose, newly elected Rajya Sabha MP from TMC, is slated to pose an unstarred question to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh. Ghose will ask for a detailed account of the measures taken by the Indian government to ensure the safety of Hindus across the border.

The issue holds cross-border and communal sensitivity, and the data paints a grim picture. The MEA has recorded 23 Hindu deaths in Bangladesh from August 2024 to early 2025, alongside 152 temple attacks and 76 incidents of anti-Hindu violence between November 2024 and January 2025.

Ghose will press the Ministry to disclose:

• Whether the MEA is maintaining official records of such attacks

• Whether External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has raised the issue formally with the Bangladeshi government

• Whether a fact-finding team has been sent, or is planned to be sent, to assess the ground reality

By spotlighting this sensitive issue, TMC not only taps into emotions of religious identity but also seeks to question BJP’s foreign policy priorities and its Hindu protectionist image, which the ruling party has long promoted.

A diplomatic misstep or evasive answer from MEA could cost the BJP politically, especially with its core Hindu voter base, which is sensitive to perceived indifference towards minority Hindus in neighbouring nations.

Floods, DVC, and Disaster Relief Politics

Meanwhile, Derek O'Brien, Leader of TMC in the Rajya Sabha, has submitted a series of questions aimed at the Ministry of Home Affairs. His queries revolve around the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), asking for:

• A year-wise breakdown of funds requested and disbursed to states for disaster rehabilitation over the last five years

• Disaster-specific allocations, particularly in the context of floods and cyclones

• Whether the Centre is considering a national framework for the long-term rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to natural disasters

These questions follow closely on the heels of Mamata Banerjee’s allegation that West Bengal was being denied flood relief, even as Assam received timely assistance. Banerjee also accused the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) of worsening the situation in Bengal by releasing excess water — a charge the DVC has denied.

The issue is both federal and humanitarian, with O'Brien attempting to demonstrate that the BJP-led Centre is selectively disbursing disaster funds. If the government fails to provide a clear, data-backed response, it risks appearing biased, bolstering Mamata Banerjee's claims of institutional discrimination against Bengal.

BJP's Counterattack

The BJP has not remained silent amid these accusations. In response to the Tagore statue and disaster aid controversies, BJP leaders have accused the TMC of deflecting from their own governance failures in Bengal. On the Bangladesh issue, BJP leaders have counter-attacked sharply, alleging that TMC has facilitated illegal infiltration by Bangladeshis, providing them with Indian documents and voter IDs.

This line of attack is meant to question TMC’s national security credentials and shift focus away from the BJP’s vulnerabilities on minority rights abroad.

The Broader Picture: Bengali Asmita vs National Narrative

TMC’s tactics in Parliament are part of a carefully curated campaign to revive regional pride ahead of the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections. The Bengali Asmita narrative — which emphasizes Bengal’s intellectual heritage, cultural icons, and linguistic identity — is seen as a powerful counter to the BJP’s nationalistic and Hindutva narratives.

By raising issues that are simultaneously cultural, humanitarian, and political, TMC is attempting to:

• Galvanize Bengali identity

• Highlight alleged central neglect

• Create narrative disruptions around BJP's claims of good governance and Hindutva solidarity

These Parliamentary questions are not mere formalities; they are part of a broader electoral chess game being played at the national level.

Conclusion: A Political High-Stakes Game

The current Monsoon Session has revealed how Parliamentary mechanisms like questions can be used as strategic political tools. With high-profile names like Ritabrata Banerjee, Sagarika Ghose, and Derek O'Brien leading the charge, TMC’s offensive is surgical and symbolic.

Whether or not these questions force concrete policy changes or public acknowledgments, they have already succeeded in shaping the political discourse around:

• Cultural recognition

• Minority protection abroad

• Disaster relief and Centre-State relations

As the BJP prepares its responses, the outcome could tilt public sentiment in key battlegrounds — especially in West Bengal, where emotion, history, and politics are often deeply intertwined.

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