Amit Shah Accuses West Bengal Government of Supporting Illegal Immigration
Allegations of Undocumented Migration
On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration in West Bengal is facilitating illegal immigration from Bangladesh to gain electoral advantages. He asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is committed to expelling all 'infiltrators' from India.
During a press conference in Kolkata, part of his three-day visit to the state, Shah questioned, “Is there a state government that transforms the area into a sanctuary for infiltrators?” He emphasized that this situation poses a significant threat to national security and demanded accountability from West Bengal's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, during the upcoming elections.
The assembly elections in West Bengal are anticipated to occur in early 2026.
Shah further stated that illegal immigration from Bangladesh has ceased in BJP-governed states like Assam and Tripura. He inquired, “Why does infiltration only occur in West Bengal?” attributing it to the TMC's policies that allegedly promote demographic changes.
He highlighted that the issue of illegal migration extends beyond West Bengal, framing it as a national security concern.
Shah criticized the TMC for blaming the Border Security Force for the infiltration issue, arguing that it is the state government that has failed to provide land for border fencing.
पश्चिम बंगाल की जनसंख्या को बदलकर अपना वोट बैंक मजबूत करने के लिए TMC की निगरानी में बंगाल में घुसपैठ हो रही है।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 30, 2025
পশ্চিমবঙ্গের জনসংখ্যাগত কাঠামো পরিবর্তন করে নিজেদের ভোটব্যাঙ্ক শক্তিশালী করার উদ্দেশ্যে তৃণমূলের নজরদারিতেই বাংলায় অনুপ্রবেশ করানো হচ্ছে। pic.twitter.com/Gh81FfB05K
In response, Banerjee refuted Shah's allegations, stating that the West Bengal government had indeed allocated land for border fencing in the towns of Petrapole and Andal. She questioned the BJP's claims, asking, “If I hadn’t given the land, what would have happened? Who provided the land in Petrapole? Who provided the land in Andal?”
Banerjee also challenged Shah's assertion that illegal immigration is exclusive to West Bengal, pointing out, “They claim that immigrants only come from Bengal. If that’s true, who was responsible for the attack in Pahalgam? Who was behind the incident in Delhi?”
In the 2021 Assembly election, the TMC secured 215 out of 292 seats, while the BJP won 77 seats, with the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) failing to secure any seats.