State-sponsored infiltration in West Bengal, says Shah, TMC hits back

KOLKATA: Peace can be established in Bengal only when infiltration stops, said Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday. Urging voters to give BJP a chance, Shah said, "Bengal is witnessing state-sponsored infiltration. To stop this, you have to vote BJP to govern the state. Rabindra Sangeet has been replaced by bomb blasts. Only BJP can put an end to cattle smuggling, coal smuggling, corruption and syndicate raj," he said.

Launching BJP's national membership drive, Shah said, "2026 will be a milestone in the assembly polls in Bengal. BJP will win the election with two-thirds majority."

"When you join BJP in Bengal, you also join the movement to free the state from the terror of Communists and Mamata didi," Shah said.

Referring to BJP's dismal performance in the state in recent elections, he added: "Mamata didi is happy seeing a lower seat tally for BJP. She thinks BJP has slackened pace in Bengal. Her happiness is not going to last long."

Earlier, opening a new passenger terminal at Petrapole, Shah said that people in Bengal were not getting benefits of Central schemes. "If voted to power, BJP will roll out all Central schemes in Bengal. MGNREGA workers would get their pay. Aap ke achche din dur nahin (good days are not far off)," he said.

Setting a target of enrolling 1 crore members in the next 20 days for his party colleagues, Shah said, "...BJP swept the polls in MP, Rajasthan and Odisha. Our govt was formed in Haryana for the third term, and I can assure BJP govt in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Our next big target is Bengal."

"Modiji officially recognised Bangla as one of the classical languages of India, fulfilling the dream of cultural icons like Jaidev, Mahakavi Chandidas, Rabindranath Tagore, Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay and Saratchandra Chattopadhyay. Mamata did not even express gratitude to him for granting Bangla classical language status," Shah added.

Referring to the RG Kar Medical College rape-murder, the home minister said: "Women are being tortured across Bengal. Whether it is Sandeshkhali or RG Kar, women are not safe here..."

Reacting to Shah's allegations of infiltration across the border, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "Raising the infiltration bogey in Bengal, which Centre is supposed to stop, was akin to scoring a self goal." "If he (Shah) speaks on infiltration, he is presenting his own report card," Ghosh added.

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search