BJP’s next big target is to form government in Bengal, says Amit Shah

The Union Home Minister accused the Trinamool Congress government of State-sponsored infiltration and referred to R.G. Kar incident, where a doctor was raped and murdered at a State health facility

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (October 27, 2024) said the next big target for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was to form a government in West Bengal. The BJP leader, who was on a two-day visit to the State, launched his party membership drive.

“We have won in Haryana. Will win in Jharkhand, Maharashtra too. After that our target is Bengal,” Mr. Shah said. The Home Minister said the BJP would come to power if the party could collect one crore members in the State. The next Assembly polls in the State are scheduled in 2026.

This was the first visit of Mr. Shah to West Bengal after the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year, where the BJP managed to win only 12 Lok Sabha seats while the Trinamool Congress improved its tally to 29 seats.

Earlier on Sunday (October 27, 2024), the Home Minister unveiled an integrated check post, passenger terminal and Maitri Dwar at land border outpost Petrapole in North 24 Parganas.

Appeal to youth

Highlighting that the State shared an international border with Bangladesh, Mr. Shah accused the Trinamool Congress government of indulging in “State-sponsored infiltration”.

“I want to appeal to the youths that if they want to stop State-sponsored infiltration then the only way is to elect a BJP government in 2026,” the Home Minister said.

While addressing his party supporters, Mr. Shah also referred to the incident at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital where a doctor was raped and murdered on August 9.

Alleging that “mothers and sisters” were not safe in West Bengal, the Home Minister said, “incidents like Sandeshkhali to R.G. Kar will stop if the BJP comes to power in 2026”.

Parents of the deceased doctor had written to the Home Minister saying that they wanted to meet him and press the demand for justice for their deceased daughter. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the crime that has sent shock waves across the country. There were no reports about the Home Minister meeting the parents of the victim.

Exhorting his party members to ensure a victory in the 2026 Assembly polls by a two-thirds majority, Mr. Shah said, “Mamata didi should not think that we are sitting idle as we had got a less seats in Bengal”.

Reacting to the charges made by the Union Home Minister, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said leaders like Mr. Shah visit West Bengal only to give political speeches.

“Why didn’t Amit Shah meet the parents of R.G. Kar victim. He should have met. They come to Bengal only to give political speeches. They do not take any responsibility. There are repeated incidents of violence against women in BJP States,” he said. Mr. Ghosh said the Home Minister did not meet the victim’s parents because he had nothing new to say as the Kolkata Police conducted proper investigation at the initial stages.

Published - October 27, 2024 08:34 pm IST