As the political fight in the state intensifies ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched sharp attacks at each other. Shah, who is on a three-day visit to launch the BJP’s election campaign in West Bengal, launched a scathing attack on the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, saying “fear and corruption” have become the hallmark of the state for the last 14 years. He questioned Mamata Banerjee’s stand on the alleged infiltration of illegal immigrants into the state. He also accused Mamata Banerjee’s government of refusing to provide land for fencing the border.
Addressing a press conference, Amit Shah said, “Development has stopped in West Bengal due to corruption in the Mamata Banerjee-led government. All the beneficial schemes launched by Modi have become victims of toll syndicates here. Fear and corruption have become the identity of West Bengal for the last 14 years.” He further said, “After April 15, 2026, when the BJP government is formed in West Bengal, then we will start the work of revival of Bengal’s heritage and culture. Will do. This ‘Banga Bhoomi’ has great importance for us because BJP was formed by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who was a great leader from here.”
Shah said that infiltration has stopped in Tripura and Assam, while it continues in West Bengal. He claimed that Mamata Banerjee wants to continue infiltration for political purposes, aimed at “increasing her vote bank”.
He said “Mamata, today I want to ask you a simple question. Which government refuses to give land for fencing the border? I myself answer it – it is your government which does not give land for fencing the border. Then I want to ask why infiltrators enter Bengal in the first place? What are your Patwaris and police stations doing? Why are these infiltrators not being sent back? Can the Bengal government explain why Assam and Why has infiltration stopped in Tripura? This is happening only in Bengal because you want to change the population structure of Bengal to increase your vote bank.
The Union Minister said, “Many states do not have governments, but such behavior does not happen there. The Prime Minister comes to flag off the Vande Bharat Abhiyan, but Mamata ji does not go on the stage. She twists the rules of the department and the Animal and Services Department and there is arbitrariness in the appointments of the DGP. Even after retirement, she is appointed as an advisor, i.e. proxy DGP. Mamata Banerjee’s government has promoted syndicates and is taking away money.” Have made the cut.”
Amit Shah further said that the people of West Bengal have resolved to elect the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the upcoming assembly elections, which will revive the heritage of the state by focusing on development and ‘poor welfare’. Shah said, “December 30 is a day of pride for Indians, because on this day in 1943, Bengal’s son Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the Indian flag in Port Blair. The time from today to April is also very important for Bengal, Because assembly elections are to be held in the state, the people of Bengal have resolved to elect a strong government which will provide them legacy, development and welfare, and not a government which has brought fear, corruption, misgovernance and infiltration.
Shah assured the people of West Bengal that the state’s heritage will be restored after the BJP comes to power and said it will focus on development by giving priority to the welfare of the poor, just like in other states. He said, “We want to assure the citizens of West Bengal and promise them that as soon as the BJP government is formed in the state, we will revive the heritage of Bengal and develop the state. We will give priority to the welfare of the poor. We have given priority to poor welfare elsewhere also. We will build a national grid.” Will build which will stop infiltration in Bengal.”
Mamata Banerjee gave a strong reply to his comments and compared the BJP leaders to mythological characters Duryodhana and Dushasan from the epic Mahabharata. Responding to Shah’s allegations, she asserted that the TMC government has allotted land for fencing in Petrapole and Andal.
Addressing a public meeting, he said, “Remember the situation 14 years ago, people were scared. A lot of development work was done for Bankura and a lot of efforts were made to overcome the water crisis. Elections have come and people are being harassed in the name of SIR.”
The Chief Minister said, “Dushasan has come to Bengal. As soon as the elections come, Dushasan and Duryodhan start appearing. This is Shakuni’s disciple Dushasan, who has come to collect information. Today they are saying that Mamata Banerjee did not give the land. What would have happened if I had not given the land? Who gave the land in Petrapole? Who gave the land in Andal?”.
While Union Minister Shah described infiltration from the West Bengal border as an issue of national security, Mamata Banerjee hit back, saying, “They say migrants come only from Bengal. If it is so, then did you instigate the attack in Pahalgam? Who was behind the incident in Delhi? The corrupt BJP party. They are harassing people in the name of ‘Sir’. Only you and your son will eat, and we will keep listening to sermons.”
Particularly intensive revision of voter list in West Bengal and increasing influx of migrants have become hot issues, which can be made an election issue in the upcoming 2026 assembly elections.
