End of infiltration will occur as soon as BJP forms government in Bengal: Amit Shah

Kolkata, December 30 (Agency): Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee government on Tuesday. He said West Bengal is plagued by fear, corruption, and infiltration, and now the state needs a government that prioritizes development, security, and the welfare of the poor. Amit Shah categorically stated that the BJP will form a government with a two-thirds majority in the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal.

Amit Shah, highlighting the historical significance of December 30 in Salt Lake, Kolkata, began his press conference by saying that on this day in 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had unfurled the flag of the Azad Hind Fauj in Port Blair. He said this day is a symbol of pride for every Indian. After eight decades, Bengal is once again at a decisive juncture, and the period from now until April is extremely crucial for the state's politics.

The Union Home Minister said that the people of Bengal are forced to live in an atmosphere of fear during the Trinamool Congress's rule. BJP workers assure the public that after the BJP forms a government in Bengal under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, corruption and infiltration will be completely stopped. He said that an administrative system will be created to stop infiltration so strong that not even a bird will be able to cross the border illegally. The BJP will not only stop infiltration but also identify and expel all infiltrators.

Amit Shah said that under the Trinamool Congress's leadership, Bengal's development has come to a complete halt. Other parts of the country are developing rapidly, but corruption and cut-money have stalled the pace of development in Bengal. He claimed that after April 15, 2026, with the establishment of a BJP government, Bengal will regain its lost glory and the state will be rebuilt as envisioned by great thinkers.

Recalling the BJP's political journey, Amit Shah said that the party's roots are in the Jan Sangh, founded by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. He highlighted the BJP's growing strength through statistics. In 2014, the BJP received 17% of the votes and two Lok Sabha seats. In 2016, it received 10% of the votes and three MLA seats. In 2019, the BJP received 41% of the votes. In the 2021 assembly elections, the party won 77 seats, reduced Congress to zero, and eliminated the base of left-wing parties. In 2024, the BJP received 39% of the votes and 12 Lok Sabha seats. Amit Shah said this trend will bring the BJP to power in 2026.

He said that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term in power, BJP governments were formed in Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi, and Bihar. In 2024, BJP and NDA governments were formed in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. In this sequence, West Bengal will also join the BJP in 2026.

Regarding the issue of infiltration, Amit Shah alleged that the Trinamool Congress government is deliberately providing state land to encourage infiltration, which poses a threat to the country's security. He said that this government has opposed every national move, including Article 370. Amit Shah asked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee why the state government is not providing land for fencing on the border. He said that Bengal is a sensitive state geographically, where infiltrators have reached every village, while the police are silent spectators.

On the economic situation, Amit Shah said that Bengal was once third in the country's GDP but has now fallen to 22nd. People in Bengal used to earn more than the national average, but now it has decreased to Rs 73. The identity of Sonar Bangla is disappearing. Over 7,000 companies have left the state.

Finally, Amit Shah appealed to the people of West Bengal, saying that they have tried Congress, the Left, and Trinamool Congress, but the state has only fallen behind. On the other hand, development and good governance are evident in BJP-ruled states. He said, "Give BJP massive support, which will make Bengal great again and create the West Bengal of the dreams of thinkers."

Mr. Shah further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they want to assure and promise the people of Bengal that once the BJP forms a government in the state, the cultural heritage will be restored, the development process will accelerate, and the welfare of the poor will be prioritized.

He said that in the Mamata regime, fear and corruption have become the identity of Bengal for the past 14 years. He added that with the formation of the BJP government in Bengal on April 15, 2026, they will launch 'Bongo Guro' (Bengal's pride), Bengali culture, and a new era.

He said that the BJP will try to make Bengal the Bengal of the dreams of Swami Vivekananda, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

Mr. Shah recalled that in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP received 17% of the votes and two seats in West Bengal. In the 2016 assembly elections, the party received 10% of the votes and three seats. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party's vote percentage increased to 41%, and 18 seats were won. He mentioned the 2021 assembly elections, saying that the party received 38% of the votes and 77 seats.

He added that the Congress had its foundation laid in Bengal, but today the party has reached zero, and the Communist alliance, which ruled the state for 34 years, did not get a single seat, while their party is playing the role of the opposition.

Mr. Shah said that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP received 39% of the votes and won 12 seats. He claimed that in 2026, they will definitely form a BJP government in Bengal with a strong majority.

Mr. Shah said that infiltration from West Bengal's border is not just a matter for Bengal but a national security issue. He said that if the country's culture is to be saved and national security is to be ensured, a government that seals Bengal's borders must be brought in. This task can only be done by the BJP.

Mr. Shah said that the Trinamool Congress opposed the discussion on 'Vande Mataram' created by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the Parliament, as supporting the discussion would have risked alienating their vote bank. He appealed to the people of Bengal to make the BJP win with a complete majority.

Mr. Shah remembered Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and said that today, December 30, is a day of pride for all Indians. The son of Bengal's soil and great freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose had unfurled the flag of independent India for the first time on this day in 1943 in Port Blair, which was a significant milestone in our freedom struggle.