BORDER RHETORIC, BALLOT STRATEGY

Amit Shah’s Bengal Pitch Revives BJP’s Familiar Infiltration Promise—With Old Questions on Delivery

With West Bengal’s 2026 Assembly elections on the horizon, the Bharatiya Janata Party has returned to one of its most politically potent themes—illegal infiltration. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his three-day visit to Kolkata, declared that removing infiltrators would be the BJP’s “first task” if it comes to power in the state. The promise, dramatic and uncompromising, echoed loudly—but it also revived uncomfortable questions about past claims and ground realities.

Addressing a press conference, Shah said the BJP would not only stop illegal infiltration from Bangladesh but would also “drive away” those already residing in the state. He accused the Trinamool Congress government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding infiltrators and even nurturing them for political gain. West Bengal’s refusal to fully fence the international border, he argued, had turned a state issue into a national security concern.

Yet, the sharp rhetoric has a familiar ring. Similar promises of sealing borders, identifying infiltrators and enforcing tough action have been repeatedly made by the BJP in election-bound states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Jharkhand. While the language has helped mobilise voters, critics point out that decisive, large-scale action on the ground has remained limited, even in states where the party enjoys long-standing power.

Despite having controlled the Union Home Ministry for over a decade, the BJP has faced persistent questions on why systemic infiltration issues continue to dominate political speeches rather than policy outcomes. Border fencing remains incomplete in several stretches, deportation mechanisms remain slow, and coordination with neighbouring countries has produced modest results at best.

In Kolkata, Shah sharpened his attack further, linking infiltration to corruption and law-and-order failures under the Trinamool Congress. From chit fund scams and coal smuggling to cattle trafficking, he alleged that corruption had become endemic under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, with several ministers jailed. He also claimed women’s safety in the state had “hit rock bottom,” citing incidents from Sandeshkhali to prominent educational institutions in Kolkata.

The BJP, Shah said, sees West Bengal as politically and ideologically significant, invoking party founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s roots in the state. Pointing to the party’s steady rise in vote share since 2016, he expressed confidence of victory in 2026.

But beyond the campaign trail, the challenge for the BJP lies in credibility. As voters in Bengal listen to promises of decisive action against infiltration, many will inevitably recall similar commitments made elsewhere that delivered political dividends, but few visible structural solutions.

As political fault lines in Bengal sharpen, Amit Shah’s remarks are expected to energise the BJP’s core base. However, winning over undecided voters may hinge less on the force of his rhetoric and more on an unresolved question the party faces nationwide is that after years in power, why has decisive action still not followed so far?