Amit Shah Blames Mamata Banerjee for Kolkata's Slum Crisis
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, accusing her of deliberately transforming Kolkata into a "city of slums." Speaking at a political rally in Dumdum, Shah alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government is permitting slum settlements to harbor infiltrators as a strategy to inflate its electoral support base.
Allegations of Infiltrator Rehabilitation
Shah asserted, "Kolkata is becoming a city of slums now. Didi does not feel the need to make Kolkata free of slums. She is rehabilitating the infiltrators in slums to inflate her vote bank." He further claimed that these infiltrators are depleting local resources, snatching employment opportunities from the youth, and posing a significant threat to national security.
The senior BJP leader vowed, "Love jihad and land jihad will stop after May 5," referencing controversial terms often used in political discourse. Shah also targeted the TMC's alliance with the Congress party within the INDIA bloc, remarking, "Mamatadidi is an ally to the same Congress which calls Modi a terrorist. Didi and Manmohan Singh govt were feeding biryani to terrorists."
Support from BJP Allies
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, addressing a separate rally in Kolkata, echoed similar sentiments. He urged voters to reject "kathmulla" or fundamentalist leaders, declaring, "We will not let that happen... Bengal has Kali, not Kaba, in its heart." Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, speaking in Kalna, challenged Banerjee to embrace Hindu cultural symbols, stating, "She should also learn to say ‘Jai Shree Ram' and take the name of goddess Durga and goddess Kali sometimes."
Development Promises Amid Criticism
Earlier in the day, Shah outlined several development initiatives for Kolkata, promising to expand the Metro network threefold, establish four new industrial townships, and revive approximately 7,000 industries. These pledges were presented as part of the BJP's vision to counter what they describe as the TMC's neglect of urban infrastructure and economic growth.
The political rhetoric intensifies as Bengal prepares for upcoming electoral battles, with slum rehabilitation and national security emerging as central themes in the BJP's campaign strategy against the ruling TMC government.
