Modi stresses on infiltration-corruption poll pitch to 'save' Bengal from TMC

Kolkata, Aug 22 (PTI) Setting the tone and tenor based on which the BJP intends to fight the assembly elections in West Bengal due next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday gave a clarion call for a "real change" as against the one made 14 years ago which, the leader said, "only slid the state into a further abyss".

Addressing a packed rally at Dum Dum, Modi hinged on the issue of illegal infiltration which, he alleged, accounted for a "steady change in the demography of bordering areas of Bengal" and accused the Trinamool Congress, voted to power in 2011 after dislodging a three-decade-long Left rule, of promoting infiltration to fulfil their "hunger for power".

The PM also defended the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced in Parliament earlier this week, and blamed the Opposition for promoting corruption and resisting legislative moves aimed at ensuring probity in public life.

"West Bengal is staring at a social crisis with its demography being altered, land of farmers and tribals encroached upon, and the economy put under strain, owing to infiltration," Modi warned.

He urged the people to utilise their votes in assembly polls as a weapon to oust both infiltrators and the ruling dispensation, alleging that the TMC's "politics of appeasement" had endangered the state's security and throttled its development.

"This country can no longer tolerate infiltrators. We will not allow them to stay in India. Those who have come here to snatch the livelihood of our people by fraudulently obtaining documents, usurping the lands of our farmers and tribals and torturing our mothers and sisters will have to leave," Modi said.

"And for this task to be completed honestly, the TMC government must also go," he added.

Attacking the INDIA bloc for attempting to block the Constitution amendment Bill that provides for dismissing a corrupt CM, or even a PM, if he or she spends 30 days in jail, Modi said the TMC and Congress "are angry and afraid because they know they derive their authority from a mountain of corruption and are scared of facing punishment for their sins".

He coined a slogan in Bangla, “Bnachte Chai, BJP Tai”, which roughly translates as “Choose Life, Choose BJP”.

In a tart response, the TMC threw the "hypocrisy" barb back at Modi.

"Big words from someone whose party has 94 MPs facing criminal cases, including 63 with serious charges; whose party welcomed 25 opposition leaders under corruption probe, 23 of whom got a clean chit; whose Cabinet has 28 ministers facing criminal cases, including 19 accused of attempted murder, kidnapping, and crimes against women; whose caged parrot, ED, delivered convictions in only 8 out of 5,892 cases over the last decade" the party claimed on X.

minister Shashi Panja told a press conference that infiltration is an issue that should be dealt with by the Centre since it is the BSF under the Union Home Ministry that guards the frontiers of the country.

"Today Modi himself showed no confidence in Amit Shah. He said infiltrators are increasing. But how is that possible? The border is under the BSF, under Amit Shah's Home Ministry. If two people enter through Bengal, 200 are entering through Tripura. Just a few days ago Rohingyas were caught there," alleged TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.

In his speech, Modi referred to his Independence Day address during which he announced a special demography mission against infiltration.

The PM said, "In Bengal, two TMC ministers, even after going to jail on corruption charges, were not willing to give up their posts. One had wads of cash recovered from an apartment, and the other had assets worth crores of rupees seized by the investigators..

He was referring to former state education minister Partha Chatterjee, imprisoned in connection with the teachers' recruitment scam in Bengal, and Jyoti Priya Mallick, the erstwhile food minister who was arrested in the ration distribution fraud case.

"Those who are arrested on corruption charges, how can they be part of the government and remain in chair? Modi will not allow this," Modi thundered in defense of the Bill seeking to amend the Constitution.

The TMC retorted by stating that the BJP runs "on an E square Policy: Misusing ECI to disenfranchise voters and weaponising ED to run politically motivated witch-hunts".

"When the first E failed, they unleashed the second. The 130th Constitution (Amendment) Bill isn't about eliminating corruption; it's about eliminating the opposition," the party claimed.

Seeking to strike a chord with Bengali identity, Modi said, "The BJP government is committed to empowering the Bangla language and culture. We were privileged to have the opportunity to grant Bangla the status of a Classical Language." He said the success of Operation Sindoor was proof that the BJP fulfils every resolution it takes, and underlined the crucial role of 'Made in India' weapons in strengthening the country's defence.

Earlier in the day, the PM inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects in the state worth Rs 5,200 crore.

He flagged off the three new metro railway services in Kolkata spanning the Green, Yellow and Orange lines and covering 13.61 km, which officials termed as a "defining moment" in the city's metro journey that began in 1984.

The PM took a ride on the brand new 6-km Jai Hind Biman Bandar-Noapara route, boarding the train at Jessore Road station.

He also laid the foundation stone of the 7.2 km-long six-lane Kona Expressway project, worth over Rs 1,200 crore. PTI PNT SUS SMY AMR RBT BDC NN MNB SMY NN