Kolkata, June 1 (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was responsible for the infiltration of Bangladeshis into India, asserting that only a BJP government can effectively stop it.

“The votes of Bengal do not just determine the future of Bengal. Bengal's vote is linked to the security of the country. Because Mamata Banerjee has opened our country’s borders to Bangladeshis. With her blessings, infiltration is happening. You tell me, should infiltration be stopped or not?” Shah told a BJP workers' meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

“Can Didi (Mamata Banerjee) stop it? Can her nephew (Abhishek Banerjee) stop it? Only a Padma (Lotus/BJP) government can stop the infiltration,” Shah said.

Shah and the BJP have repeatedly alleged that infiltration is continuing unchecked in West Bengal under the Trinamool Congress government. The BJP has also accused Mamata Banerjee of opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act to "facilitate infiltration for her narrow political interests".

Continuing his verbal assault, Shah accused Banerjee of making "cheap political comments" on Operation Sindoor and, in a way, "playing with the emotions" of crores of mothers and sisters of the country.

Shah was responding to the Chief Minister’s accusation that the BJP-led Centre was “silent before America” while promoting “sindoor’ (Vermillion) everywhere.”

The Chief Minister had also alleged that the BJP was exploiting Operation Sindoor for “political gains,” turning it into an election issue frequently highlighted at rallies attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



“A few days ago in Pahalgam, terrorists sent by Pakistan brutally killed innocent civilians after asking their religion in front of their families. You tell me — should those terrorists sent by Pakistan not be punished? Was Modi ji not right to carry out Operation Sindoor?” Shah said.



“We have conducted surgical strikes; we have carried out air strikes. And now, through Operation Sindoor, we went 100 kilometers inside (Pakistan) and destroyed their (terrorists') headquarters. Hundreds of terrorists have been eliminated,” he added.



“This is what’s causing pain in Didi’s stomach. When people from Bengal were being killed there, it would have been right if Didi had expressed this pain. But she said nothing then. Now, when Modi ji comes here after Operation Sindoor, a cheap political comment is made opposing the operation. You were not just opposing Operation Sindoor — you were toying with the emotions of crores of mothers and sisters of this country,” Shah said.



“I appeal to the maternal power of Bengal — in the upcoming election, make Mamata ji understand the true value of sindoor for questioning Operation Sindoor. Mothers and sisters, show her what it truly means to insult sindoor!” he added. UNI XC SSP