Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday turned the Malda gherao of judicial officers into the centrepiece of the BJP’s campaign on alleged lawlessness in West Bengal.
Addressing his first rally in Cooch Behar in North Bengal, he accused the TMC government of running a “maha jungleraj” and framed the 2026 Assembly elections as a direct contest between the “bhay” created by the ruling party and the BJP’s “bharosa”.
In his address, Modi used the Malda incident to sharpen the BJP's twin campaign planks of "poor law and order" and alleged demographic change, besides the issues of safety of women and infiltration from Bangladesh to attack the TMC.
"Just a few days ago, the entire nation witnessed judicial officers being held hostage in Malda. What kind of government is this, where judges and constitutional procedures are not safe? We cannot expect such a government to keep the people of Bengal safe," he said.
Modi was referring to Wednesday night's incident in Malda's Kaliachak-II block office, where seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed for several hours by a mob during hearings on names marked "under adjudication" in the draft electoral rolls prepared during the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
"What happened in Malda is an example of TMC's maha jungleraj," he said, alleging that the ruling party was "bent on carrying out the funeral procession of law and order" in the state.
Modi also sought to frame the contest in binary terms.
"On one side, there is the 'bhay' (fear) of the TMC, and on the other side, you have the BJP's 'bharosa' (trust).
On one side is the fear of TMC's cut money and corruption, and on the other side is the BJP which accelerates development," he said.
The PM also contrasted the fear of infiltration and settling foreigners in Bengal with the BJP's confidence in stopping infiltration and driving infiltrators out.
"On one side is the fear of losing freedom on one's own land because of changing demography.
On the other side is BJP's confidence of living with pride on one's own soil, and head held high," he said.
The speech reflected the BJP's attempt to stitch together multiple political flashpoints into a single narrative before polling.
Malda was used to underline the opposition party's charge of collapsing governance, Sandeshkhali to evoke anger over crimes against women, and the debate over electoral rolls and the Citizenship Amendment Act to consolidate Hindu refugee and Matua votes in the border districts.
Referring to the row over the revision of electoral rolls, Modi said, "The TMC is opposing SIR and the CAA to protect infiltrators. The TMC does not want Hindu refugees to get citizenship, and that is why it is opposing CAA."
"Under TMC rule, there has been a dangerous demographic change in Bengal's border areas.
These infiltrators get direct protection from the TMC's syndicate, putting the lives of the state's people under threat.
In this game of appeasement politics, the identity of this great Bengal is being changed," Modi alleged.
He said those trying to change Bengal's identity would be ousted this time.
"No matter how much TMC goons try to terrorise you on polling day, you must trust the law. I have full faith in the Election Commission. There will be elections that are free, fair and without fear," he said.
After May 4, the day of announcing poll results, the law will take its course, Modi said, and warned that every act of alleged corruption and violence under the TMC would be investigated.
"I assure you that after the elections, every one of their sins will be accounted for. Chun chun ke hisab hoga. No matter how powerful the criminal may be, justice will be done this time," he said.
Invoking Sandeshkhali, one of the BJP's most potent political weapons in Bengal over the past year, Modi said, "On one side are the cries of sisters and daughters subjected to brutal atrocities, like those in Sandeshkhali. On the other side is Modi's guarantee of security, dignity and empowerment for women."
He said a BJP government in Bengal would ensure "real empowerment of women" and cited the Centre's "Lakhpati Didi" scheme and the law providing 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
(With inputs from PTI)