BERHAMPORE, June 1 — Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a fierce political attack on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of appeasement politics, blocking national security efforts, and sponsoring riots for electoral gain.
Addressing BJP workers during his first visit to the state since the Murshidabad clashes, Shah alleged that the April riots, which left three dead, were “state-sponsored” and incited by a TMC minister.
“The MHA asked for BSF deployment, but the TMC government didn’t allow it so the violence could continue. It was only after BJP workers moved the high court that BSF was sent,” he said.
Shah targeted Banerjee for opposing Operation Sindoor, a military operation launched in retaliation for a recent terror attack.
“To appease the Muslim vote bank, Mamata didi opposed Operation Sindoor. By doing so, she insulted the mothers and sisters of this country,” Shah said, appealing to women to “teach her a lesson” in the 2026 Assembly polls.
He claimed Banerjee’s reaction showed sympathy for Pakistan-based terrorists, stating, “Numerous terrorists were killed, but that seems to trouble Mamata.”
Shah also hit out at Banerjee’s opposition to the Waqf Amendment Act, branding it another appeasement tactic. He accused the TMC of enabling illegal cross-border infiltration and denying land to the BSF, hindering security operations.
“Only a BJP government can secure Bengal’s borders and stop this dangerous infiltration,” he said.
Referring to the teachers’ recruitment scam, Shah accused the TMC of auctioning jobs in “Kolkata’s markets.” He said ED seizures from TMC leaders’ homes were so huge that “even machines got tired of counting.”
“Mamata can oppose the Waqf Act all she wants—she won’t be in power after 2026,” he added.
The BJP leader also condemned Banerjee’s silence on the Pahalgam terror attack, where tourists from Bengal were killed, accusing her of failing to stand up for national security.
Shah’s speech marks the BJP’s opening salvo for the 2026 Assembly elections, calling for the ouster of the TMC government while linking state politics directly with national security concerns.
