Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Apr 21: Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a sharp political attack during election campaign rallies in West Bengal, asserting that India’s border with Bangladesh in the state would be fully secured with barbed fencing within 45 days if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power after the upcoming Assembly elections.
Addressing gatherings in Chandipur (East Midnapore) and Salboni (West Midnapore), Shah accused the ruling All India Trinamool Congress government of keeping international borders “open and unfenced,” which he claimed had contributed to illegal infiltration.
He said tackling illegal immigration would be a top priority for the BJP, stating that border sealing efforts would be undertaken immediately after forming the government. Shah also criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration, alleging that those currently in power would not act against infiltration as they had allowed the situation to persist.
At both rallies, the Home Minister repeated his claim that the BJP’s broader objective is to eliminate illegal infiltration not just in West Bengal but across the country.
Shah also made strong allegations of corruption and misgovernance against the TMC, accusing party-linked individuals of engaging in extortion, crime, and corruption. He further alleged that funds sent by the Centre, including Rs 3,000 crore provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Cyclone Amphan relief in 2020, were misused—claims that the TMC has previously denied.
In addition, Shah assured voters that industrial projects, including an unfinished steel plant initiative linked to the Jindal Steel & Power Limited in Salboni, would be revived if the BJP comes to power. He also promised a crackdown on alleged illegal sand mining and pledged to end what he described as “syndicate raj,” while promoting industrial development in the region.
The rallies are part of an intensified election campaign in the state, where border security, development, and governance have emerged as key political themes.