Minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah set the tone of the meeting organised by the Bhasha Chetana Samiti, a Left-backed organisation.

Addressing Marwaris by a derogatory diminutive, he said they “are developers and get their work done by bribing their way through”.

Mollah has been thrust into a high-profile role over the past two years by his portfolio of land & land reforms at a time when there is intense opposition to farmland acquisition for industry. As a Bengali Muslim, his stand has been critical — be it on the Sachar Commission report, or on farmland acquisition in Muslim-dominated areas.

His comment drew guarded criticism from a senior Marwari comrade.

When contacted, Sarla Maheswari, CPM leader and former Member of Parliament, said: “Our party has a defined policy about these issues. None of our leaders can blame a particular community like this.”

But the minister was unfazed.

“I stand for what I have said. What is wrong in my comment?” he asked.

Imanul Haque of Bhasha Chetana Samiti and Ratan Bhattacharya of Bhasa Sanskriti Swadhikar Mancha made similar comments.

Haque told his audience: “Those who wish to stay in West Bengal should learn Bengali.”

Bhattacharya accused Marwaris of incessant land grabbing in the suburbs in the name of constructing factories.

“Everywhere, land is being taken in the name of factories but the actual plan is to build shopping malls and the sons of Bengal are not getting jobs,” Bhattacharya told The Indian Express.

He claimed that Biharis are employed at railway stations in large numbers. “With Bengalis finding no place in reservation lists or tickets, a large number of Hindi-speaking people have taken over these jobs,” he said.

Maheshwari was not the only Marwari to take umbrage at the minister’s comments.

“It is a callous comment,” said Vishvambhar Newar, vice-president of the All India Marwari Federation.

“No one can blame a community like that and former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattcharjee have often acknowledged the role of Marwaris in the development of West Bengal,” Newar said.

The Bhasha Chetana Samiti, the Bhasa Sanskriti Swadhikar Mancha and other such bodies want the government to make it mandatory for all residents of West Bengal to read, write and speak the language.

They also want all work at the government and government organisations to be done in Bengali.