Overview

• East Bengal FC supporters displayed banners supporting the Bhasha Andolan during their Durand Cup fixture against Namdhari FC in Kolkata
• The protest was sparked by a Delhi Police letter requesting Bengali translators for eight detainees and misidentifying the language as Bangladeshi
• Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the reference as insulting, anti-national and unconstitutional and has urged strong statewide demonstrations
• The Bhasha Andolan campaign began in mid-July after reports emerged of Bengali-speaking labourers facing harassment and detention in BJP-ruled states
• East Bengal ultras have previously used matchday protests to voice political messages, including earlier displays against the NRC