What to Expect from PM Modi's Upcoming Visit to West Bengal Amid Political Tensions?

PM Modi's Anticipated Visit to West Bengal

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Nadia district in West Bengal, where he will inaugurate several national highway projects and hold a public rally. This visit comes amid rising political tensions related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

This marks Modi's first trip to West Bengal since the draft SIR rolls were released and his third visit in five months.

Political analysts suggest that Modi will address concerns from the Matua community following the release of the draft rolls during his rally in the Taherpur area of Ranaghat, which is close to the Namasudra Hindu community's heartland in Bongaon.

During this rally, Modi is expected to outline the BJP's strategy for the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for early next year, aiming to solidify the party's position in the state.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister highlighted the benefits that the people of West Bengal have received from various central government initiatives while criticizing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for its governance failures.

He stated, "The TMC's corruption and intimidation have reached unprecedented levels, making the BJP the people's hope."

Modi's visit coincides with the TMC's strong opposition to the SIR process, claiming it is being executed too quickly and could disenfranchise many legitimate voters, especially refugee Hindus.

The recently published draft electoral rolls show that 58,20,899 names have been removed, leaving the electorate at 7.08 crore.

Additionally, around 1.36 crore entries have been flagged for discrepancies, and 30 lakh voters are categorized as unmapped, many of whom will likely face verification hearings in the coming weeks.

For the Matua community, which has migrated from Bangladesh due to religious persecution, this situation has reignited fears regarding their identity and documentation.

Political experts believe that the Matua community influences approximately 80 of the 294 assembly seats in West Bengal.

There are concerns that many Matua individuals have already been excluded from the draft rolls, with more potentially facing exclusion in the final rolls due to the lack of necessary documentation for verification.

In recent elections, the BJP has made significant gains within this community by promising formal Indian citizenship.

BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar, representing the Ranaghat Lok Sabha seat, accused the TMC of spreading fear among the Matuas regarding the SIR process, expressing hope that Modi's visit would alleviate these concerns.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has organized anti-SIR rallies in Nadia and North 24 Parganas, districts with a notable Matua population.

During his visit, Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation for two national highway projects valued at approximately Rs 3,200 crore.

He will inaugurate the four-laning of the 66.7-km Barajaguli-Krishnanagar section of NH-34 in Nadia and lay the foundation for the four-laning of the 17.6-km Barasat–Barajaguli section in North 24 Parganas.

These projects are anticipated to enhance connectivity between Kolkata and Siliguri, fostering trade, tourism, and economic growth across the southern and northern regions of the state.