KOLKATA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday sharpened the BJP's campaign pitch for the West Bengal Assembly polls by publishing a 'charge sheet' against the TMC government and framing the election as a battle not merely for the state, but for the country's security.
Launching a broadside at the ruling TMC in Kolkata, Shah alleged that during its 15-year rule, the state had become the country's "principal corridor for infiltration, appeasement politics and border insecurity."
"The Bengal election is important not only for the state but for the entire country. The security of the country is, in a way, linked to the Bengal election," Shah said.
He also claimed that the BJP would form the government in Bengal with an absolute majority, citing strong anti-incumbency sentiments ahead of the Assembly elections.
In an unprecedented attack on the TMC government, Shah said, “West Bengal tops in terms of corruption and syndicate raj compared to other states in the country. This state is a laboratory of corruption.”
“The Bengal election is important not only for the state but for the entire country. The security of the country is, in a way, linked to the Bengal election,” Shah said.
“Trinamool Congress has fielded leaders who have been jailed on charges of large-scale corruption in the elections. The party runs on politics of lies and violence. Mamata-di lies at times about her ‘fractured’ leg and ‘injury on head’, and often attacks the Election Commission,” Shah said, lashing out at the ruling party.
Arguing that infiltration routes through Assam had been "shut" after the BJP came to power there, Shah claimed West Bengal was now "the only remaining route" for infiltration. "West Bengal is the only state from where infiltrators are entering the country and creating disturbances," he said.
The BJP leader repeatedly linked the issue to what he described as the TMC's "appeasement and vote-bank politics," accusing the state government of obstructing efforts to strengthen border management.
Shah alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government had not provided land for border fencing despite repeated requests from the Centre and added that the refusal was "politically motivated."
"The TMC government has not provided land for border fencing as they want to create a vote-bank of infiltrators," Shah alleged.
Shah asserted that the upcoming elections in Bengal will be a choice between "fear and trust", accusing Banerjee of fostering a politics of lies, violence, and corruption over the past 15 years.
The saffron party plans to use the ‘chargesheet’ to highlight Trinamool Congress’ alleged shortcomings and present alternatives in its election manifesto or ‘Sankalp Patra’, likely to be released in the first week of April.
“Whom do you want to elect—the party that unleashes terror and violence, or one that offers trust, stability and good governance? BJP will provide good governance in Bengal. We have won Anga (Assam), Kalinga (Odisha), and now we will win Banga,” he said.
“Women are not safe in Bengal, where shocking incidents like rape and murder cases at RG Kar Hospital, Kamduni and Hanskhali have occurred. She had termed the Park Street rape case as fabricated. People of this state say the Communist regime was better than this government,” he told reporters.
“She could not even spare the Hon’ble President during her recent visit to north Bengal. She humiliated her, despite her belonging to a tribal community. Mamata di always tries to play the victim card during elections. I have tried to contact her several times to discuss issues but failed. She is too busy to talk to me. She has been creating an environment of fear, terror and divisive politics,” the Union Home Minister alleged.
“No court cases have been filed against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 14 other states where the exercise is underway. But only in Bengal have cases been filed against the process. Judicial officers have been engaged for document verification work. Even in non-BJP-ruled states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, SIR is being conducted smoothly without opposition. In Bengal, she wants to save illegal Muslim voters in the name of opposing the SIR,” he added.
"In the coming elections, Bengal has to choose between fear and trust. For the last 15 years, politics of fear and corruption has been going on. Mamata Banerjee has created a new way of politics by using lies and violence to move her politics forward," Shah claimed.
"The basis of TMC coming to power is lies, fear and violence. But since 2011, BJP has been fighting against this, and I believe that this time BJP will form the government in Bengal," he said.
"In today's press conference, we have come with a chargesheet against the 15 years of rule by the TMC government. This chargesheet is filed against the Mamata Banerjee government on behalf of the people of Bengal, which the BJP is voicing. In a way, the people of Bengal have to decide in the coming elections whether to choose fear or to choose trust," he added.
Shah also criticised the TMC for failing to deliver on its promise of a "Sonar Bangla," turning Bengal into a hub for criminal syndicates and stifling industrial growth, which he described as a "graveyard for industry."
Elections in Bengal will be held across two phases, on April 23 and April 29, with counting of votes for both phases scheduled for May 4.