Bagdogra, West Bengal – Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a BJP Karyakarta Sammelan at Gossainpur in Bagdogra near Siliguri today, rallying party workers and outlining key criticisms of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government’s performance in West Bengal.
In his speech, Shah highlighted how the TMC came to power with the slogan “Maa, Maati, Maanus” (Mother, Land, People), but alleged that under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, women (“Maa”) face insecurity due to rising crimes, the land (“Maati”) is being encroached by illegal immigrants and land mafia, and the people (“Maanus”) suffer from unemployment, poor healthcare, and neglected infrastructure.
Shah accused the TMC of turning West Bengal into India’s most corrupt state, claiming institutionalized corruption through scams like Cash for Query, teachers’ recruitment, SSC, municipality recruitment, cow smuggling, PDS, MGNREGA, and PMAY, exceeding Rs 10 lakh crore in total. He contrasted UPA-era funding of Rs 2 lakh crore over 10 years with the Modi government’s allocation of Rs 10 lakh crore, but noted that corruption has prevented grassroots development.
The Home Minister also pointed to the state’s refusal to provide land for India-Bangladesh border fencing, which he said has enabled illegal immigration. He promised that a BJP government would deport infiltrators, create local job opportunities to reduce youth migration, and ensure proportionate budget allocation for North Bengal, which covers 22% of the state’s land but received only Rs 581 crore out of a Rs 3.81 lakh crore budget.
Shah criticized the TMC for not implementing central schemes like the New Labour Codes, which could benefit tea and cinchona garden workers. He assured that BJP would grant “Parja Patta” land rights to these workers if elected.
Urging BJP workers to campaign fearlessly, Shah expressed confidence in bringing change under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. The event saw enthusiastic participation from party cadres, who pledged to work for a “better and brighter future” in North Bengal.
TMC has not yet responded to the allegations. The Sammelan is part of BJP’s preparations for the upcoming assembly elections, focusing on regional issues like development and security.
