Kolkata warehouse fire result of TMC's corruption: Shah

Kolkata/Siliguri: Union home minister Amit Shah alleged on Saturday the eastern Kolkata warehouse fire that killed 27 was not an accident but the result of Trinamool Congress's corruption and claimed CM Mamata Banerjee "needs a cataract operation" because she is blinded by affection for her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

Addressing BJP workers in Barrackpore on Kolkata's outskirts, Shah said Trinamool govt failed victims because of corruption and votebank politics. He claimed Banerjee would have reacted differently had "if the victims been infiltrators", adding police beat BJP workers who tried to protest. "She should be ashamed," Shah said.


Later, at a public meeting in Siliguri in north Bengal, Shah alleged that Trinamool's men were involved in the blaze that gutted two warehouses - owned by Pushpanjali Decorators and partly leased to pan-India fast-food chain Wow! Momo.

Shah said the warehouses lacked environmental clearance and were built on wetlands. "Had anyone closed the gate when people were shouting inside? After a BJP govt is formed here in April, we will find the culprits and put them behind bars," he said, referring to the assembly elections.

Questioning alleged Trinamool links to the momo factory operating inside the warehouse, Shah demanded a "proper investigation" into why safety norms were ignored. "Why did this happen? Who had invested in the momo factory?" he asked.

Raising the issue of dynasty politics, Shah said Banerjee was shielding her nephew - TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, often referred to as "bhaipo" in Bengal politics. "Mamata didi needs a cataract operation because she can't see properly. She is blinded by her affection for her nephew," he said.

Reeling off names of 23 Trinamool politicians facing corruption allegations, Shah challenged the CM to field them as candidates in the upcoming elections. "She cannot do that because she is afraid they will turn witnesses against bhaipo," he said.

Shah promised that if BJP is elected to office in Bengal, all corruption cases would be probed under Supreme Court supervision.

The minister claimed BJP would cross 50% vote share in the 2026 polls. "In 2019 we had 41%, in 2021 we had 38%, in 2024 we got 39%. It is time to go past 45%," he told party workers, saying the change in govt will be a "fitting tribute" to Syama Prasad Mukherjee.

On border security, Shah alleged the Bengal govt had not provided land to BSF to build a proposed fence along India-Bangladesh border.

Seeking to reassure Matua and Namashudra communities amid EC's SIR exercise, Shah alleged that they were being intimidated.