In a fiery address in Kolkata on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a direct and sustained political assault on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. The central accusation revolved around border security and alleged state-sponsored obstruction to fencing the international boundary with Bangladesh.
Border Fencing and National Security Allegations
Shah squarely blamed the Mamata Banerjee-led administration for not providing land required to establish a physical barrier along the Bangladesh border. He stated this inaction was deliberately enabling infiltration, which he framed as a grave threat transcending state boundaries. "Infiltration happening through Bengal borders is not an issue limited only to Bengal, it is now a matter of national security," Shah declared.
He contrasted the situation in Bengal with other border states, questioning why infiltration had reportedly been controlled in Tripura, Assam, Rajasthan, Punjab, Kashmir, and Gujarat. His answer was pointed: "It is because, in West Bengal, infiltration occurs under your watch to bring about demographic change and strengthen your votes." Shah asserted that ensuring the country's safety and culture required a "patriotic government" in Kolkata, a task he claimed Mamata Banerjee could not accomplish.
Electoral Pitch and Confidence in BJP's Rise
Positioning the upcoming 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections as a referendum on this issue, Shah made a bold promise. "The next election will be fought on the issues of stopping infiltration and removing infiltrators from here... In 2026, BJP will form government with two-third majority in West Bengal," he said.
To underline the party's growth trajectory, he cited electoral statistics: from 17% votes and 2 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls to 38% votes and 77 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections. He highlighted that while the Congress was reduced to "absolute zero" and the Left Front failed to win a single seat, the BJP emerged as the principal opposition force in just a few years.
Broader Critique: Violence, Women's Safety, and Nepotism
Beyond the border issue, Shah levelled other serious charges against the TMC. He accused the party of having "surpassed the Left in establishing politics of fear and violence." On women's safety, he criticized remarks attributed to TMC leaders about women not going out after 7 PM, asking, "Are we living in the Mughal era?" He emphasized that providing security at all hours was the government's duty.
In a clear dig at TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and CM Mamata Banerjee, Shah alleged, "Here only 'Bhaipo' (nephew) has the right to earn, and no one else."
Concluding with an appeal, Shah asked voters to give the BJP a chance after having tried the Congress, Left, and TMC. He also sent a reassuring message to the Matua community, a key electoral group with roots in Bangladesh, stating they "have no reason to fear" and that the BJP would accommodate all religiously persecuted refugees in India.
