Overview
- At a Kolkata press conference on December 30, Union home minister Amit Shah accused the Mamata Banerjee government of abetting Bangladeshi infiltration for electoral gain and framed the issue as a national security threat.
- Shah said West Bengal has withheld land needed to finish India–Bangladesh border fencing, cited seven letters and top‑level meetings, and pledged a strong ‘national grid’ to seal borders and expel illegal immigrants if the BJP wins in 2026.
- Mamata Banerjee rejected the allegations, asserted her government had provided land for projects including Petrapole and Andal, called his claims lies, and demanded his resignation.
- The Trinamool Congress linked the row to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with media reports noting about 5.82 million names dropped from draft lists, which the party labels a scam.
- Shah courted key voter groups by assuring the Matua community on citizenship under the CAA and predicted a two‑thirds BJP majority in the April 2026 assembly elections.