Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Trinamool Congress government, alleging that corruption, administrative failure, and vote-bank politics under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have pushed West Bengal into a grave crisis. Addressing a massive BJP workers’ rally in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas, Shah asserted that the 2026 Assembly elections would decisively end TMC rule in the state.
Referring to the deadly fire at Anandapur near Kolkata, which claimed at least 27 lives and left several missing, Shah said the incident was “not an accident” but a direct consequence of corruption and negligence by the state government.
“Twenty-five people have lost their lives, and many are still missing. This is not an accident. Whose money was invested in this factory? Who owns it? With whom did the owners travel abroad? And why has the owner not been arrested yet?” Shah asked, questioning the delay in accountability.
He accused the Mamata Banerjee government of selective outrage driven by vote-bank politics. “If the victims were infiltrators, would the reaction have been the same? Bengali citizens have died, and the government remains silent. Mamata Banerjee should be ashamed,” he said.
The fire broke out in the early hours of January 26 at a warehouse facility in Anandapur, triggering large-scale rescue and relief operations. Police sealed the area while firefighting teams battled the blaze. Three arrests have been made so far, and a Baruipur court granted six days of police custody to the outlet’s manager and deputy manager. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced ex gratia assistance from the PM National Relief Fund.
Continuing his attack, Shah alleged that the TMC government was shielding illegal infiltrators and weakening national security. He claimed that opposition to slogans like Vande Mataram was part of an appeasement strategy. “Opposing Vande Mataram is an insult to Bengal’s heritage and the nation’s identity. Are the people of Bengal willing to tolerate this?” he asked.
Calling for a complete political change, Shah urged voters to uproot the Trinamool Congress in the upcoming elections. He expressed confidence that the BJP would secure over 50% of the vote share and form the next government in Bengal.
Drawing a political analogy, Shah said, “Just as Ravan created obstacles when Lord Ram was building the Ram Setu, Mamata Banerjee is creating obstacles in Bengal. In 2019, BJP won 18 seats. In 2021, we emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats. Now, you must raise the vote share from 39% to 45% and bring BJP to power.”
According to Shah, a BJP government in West Bengal is not just a political necessity but essential for restoring law and order, protecting Bengali identity, and safeguarding national security.
