'Fear, corruption, infiltration rampant': Amit Shah slams TMC's Bengal rule
What's the story
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, he alleged that the 14-year TMC rule has been marred by fear, corruption, and misgovernance. He said, "Infiltration happening along Bengal borders is not an issue limited only to Bengal; it is now a matter of national security."
Infiltration allegations
Shah accuses Banerjee of abetting infiltration for electoral gain
Shah accused Banerjee of aiding infiltration for electoral gains, saying, "We will not only identify infiltrators but also drive them out." He also claimed the state government is hindering border fencing by not providing land. The Home Minister also slammed corruption under Banerjee's government. "Due to corruption under the Mamata Banerjee-led government in the state, development in West Bengal has stopped," he said, alleging it has stalled development in the state and affected central schemes due to local toll syndicates.
Electoral progress
Shah cites BJP's electoral growth in Bengal
Shah highlighted the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) steady rise in elections in West Bengal. He said the party's vote share increased from 17% in 2014 to 41% in 2019 and then to 38% with a tally of 77 seats in the last Assembly polls. "This is a huge transformation. A party that had just three seats increased its tally to 77 within a span of five years," he said, adding that Congress and Left parties have lost their ground.
Future plans
Shah promises to restore Bengal's lost glory
Shah promised that if the BJP comes to power after the upcoming elections, it will restore Bengal's pride and culture. "When a BJP government is formed in Bengal, we will begin the revival of Bengal's pride, culture, and renaissance," he said. He said the party would work toward building a Bengal envisioned by Swami Vivekananda, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore, and Syama Prasad Mukherjee. The Home Minister's statements come ahead of crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal due in March-April.