CPI(M)’s Bangla Bachao Yatra begins in West Bengal

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday (November 29, 2025) began its Bangla Bachao Yatra (Save Bengal March) from Tufanganj in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district. The yatra, which comes months before the Assembly polls in the State, is an attempt by the CPI(M) to reach out to the electorate and raise issues concerning the working classes.

The 1100 km yatra will traverse from the north to the south of the State during which several rallies and public meetings will be held.

“We started this rally from Tufanjang to highlight the atrocities and oppression on our workers here. This is also to prove that despite such oppression our workers have come out in large numbers,” CPI(M) State Secretary Mohammad Salim told media persons.

The CPI(M) leader accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of enabling the entry of RSS–BJP (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – Bharatiya Janata Party) in the state. “Remember, Mamata (Banerjee) was once described as ‘Maa Durga’ by the RSS when she was in the opposition,” he said.

Referring to former Chief Minister of the State and Marxist icon Jyoti Basu, Mr. Salim said that he had warned about Ms. Banerjee’s role in “paving the way for communal forces” when the Left was in power. He said that West Bengal has witnessed deterioration of law and order during the Trinamool Congress regime and slipped to the level of “Uttar Pradesh and Bihar”. Mr. Salim said that the CPI(M) leadership has set up the highest number of assistance camps in the State for SIR.

The CPI(M) leader called for building a “new, self-reliant Bengal where youths do not have to migrate for jobs, industries invest again and school jobs are not sold” and urged people from all walks of life to join the yatra. The Bangla Bachao Yatra will conclude on December 17.

The state wide march by the Left party comes at a time when the politics in the State is on the boil over ongoing SIR ( Special Intensive Revision). The CPI(M) had entered into electoral alliance with the Congress since 2016, but the alliance has not resulted in much electoral success. Recently, a few Left parties including those who are constituents of the CPI(M) led Left Front have said that they do not want to ally with Congress in the upcoming Assembly polls in the State.