Political: Shah Targets Trinamool Congress at Bagdogra Meet, Predicts Shift

Political: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday delivered a forceful address at a BJP workers’ convention in Bagdogra, North Bengal, sharply criticising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the ruling Trinamool Congress. Speaking before party supporters, Shah accused the state government of eroding social cohesion and said West Bengal was approaching a turning point in its political trajectory.

Allegations of Social Division in the State

Shah claimed that the Trinamool Congress administration had deepened social fault lines by encouraging divisions among communities. According to him, the state’s unity had suffered as groups were set against one another for political advantage. He asserted that the current leadership had reached the end of its effective tenure and said a new phase was approaching for Bengal under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Home Minister told party workers that the vision of a prosperous Bengal, often associated with figures such as Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore, could only be realised through a change in government.

Criticism of Bengal’s Political Trajectory

Referring to Bengal’s historical role in India’s cultural and national development, Shah said the state had fallen behind over several decades. He blamed successive governments for this decline, beginning with the Left Front era and continuing under the Trinamool Congress. Shah argued that slogans promising grassroots empowerment had failed to translate into effective governance, leaving the state lagging on multiple fronts.

Remarks on National Symbols and Political Opposition

Shah also accused the Trinamool Congress of opposing national symbols for electoral considerations. Citing a past parliamentary discussion, he alleged that party members had objected to Vande Mataram, despite its origins in Bengal’s own literary tradition. He said such positions reflected vote-centric politics and added that the electorate would respond to these choices in future elections.

Concerns Over Women’s Safety and Political Violence

Addressing law and order, the Home Minister alleged that women’s safety in West Bengal had deteriorated. He accused the state government of failing to provide adequate protection and cited incidents involving attacks on BJP leaders, including a tribal Member of Parliament. Shah also claimed that false cases were being filed against opposition figures, urging voters to seek “parivartan,” or change, in the state’s administration.

Infiltration Framed as National Security Issue

Shah placed significant emphasis on the issue of infiltration, describing it as a concern that extended beyond state borders to national security. He alleged that the current government had allowed the situation to persist and contrasted Bengal with BJP-governed states where, he said, infiltration had been effectively controlled. According to Shah, addressing this issue required a change in leadership in West Bengal.

Reference to High Court Order and Border Security

The Home Minister referred to a Calcutta High Court directive instructing the state government to provide land to the Border Security Force by March 31, 2026. He expressed doubt that the order would be implemented under the present administration. Shah claimed that a BJP-led government would transfer the required land within weeks, strengthening border management and enabling the identification and deportation of illegal infiltrators. He linked this stance to the Trinamool Congress’s opposition to the Special Intensive Revision process.

BJP’s Electoral Confidence in the State

Concluding his address, Shah expressed confidence in the BJP’s organisational strength in North Bengal and said the party was aiming to secure all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. He pointed to the BJP’s increasing vote share in recent years and cited the party’s electoral successes in other states as indicators of growing public support. According to Shah, these trends signaled that political change in West Bengal was inevitable.