The BJP has launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of harboring an ‘evil plan’ to settle illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in Jharkhand to gain an electoral advantage. The party’s West Bengal co-incharge, Amit Malviya, questioned Banerjee’s authority to offer shelter to anyone from another country, emphasizing that immigration and citizenship fall solely under the central government’s domain. He asserted that states have no legal standing in such matters.
Taking to the microblogging platform X, Malviya stated, “Who gave Mamata Banerjee the authority to welcome anyone in India? Immigration and citizenship are exclusively in the Center’s domain. The States have no locus-standi.” He further alleged, “This is part of I.N.D.I Alliance’s evil plan to settle illegal Bangladeshis from Bengal to Jharkhand, so that they can win elections.”
Malviya also criticized Banerjee’s contrasting stances on refugees, highlighting that she has opposed granting citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to Hindu refugees fleeing religious persecution in Bangladesh while simultaneously welcoming Bangladeshi immigrants. He sarcastically suggested that if Hindu refugees insist on seeking citizenship, the state government would encourage illegal Rohingya refugees, who vote for the TMC, to engage in disruptive activities like burning trains, blocking roads, and violence.
In another post on X, Malviya asserted, “Mamata Banerjee should know that West Bengal is an inalienable part of India. Millions of revolutionaries have sacrificed their blood to secure a homeland for Hindu Bengalis. This kind of seditious language doesn’t behove a sitting Chief Minister. She must not underestimate the power of the Indian state and anger of the people of Bengal. Her dream of becoming Suhrawardy 2.0 will remain a dream, for all times to come.”
Banerjee’s remarks came during the Trinamool Congress’ annual ‘Shahid Dibas’ gathering at Kolkata’s Esplanade. In the context of escalating violence in Bangladesh, she declared that she would keep West Bengal’s doors open to those seeking refuge from the neighboring country. “If Bangladeshis come knocking on our door, we will provide them shelter,” Banerjee stated, citing the UN Resolution on refugees as justification for her stance.
