Amit Shah claims infiltration stopped in Assam, continues in West Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday claimed that while infiltration has been curbed in BJP-ruled Assam, it continues unabated in West Bengal, alleging that the state government provides a “red carpet welcome” to illegal immigrants.

Shah made the remarks at a media conclave organised in Patna by ABP News and Hindustan, where he also addressed allegations related to voter rights and constitutional amendments.

Highlighting the effectiveness of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Shah said the exercise would identify and remove infiltrators across the country. “It is baffling that the opposition has been getting a bellyache over an exercise launched by the Election Commission, which would weed out infiltrators. I am fully in support of the SIR exercise, which would eventually take place in the entire country,” he stated.

Responding to questions about opposition criticism that the Narendra Modi government should be held responsible for infiltrators, Shah said officials in Lutyens Delhi were unaware of the challenges on the borders. He cited the India-Bangladesh border, noting it passes through dense forests and major rivers that are in spate during monsoons, making fencing and continuous surveillance extremely difficult. He added that boats used by security personnel can get washed away, further complicating border monitoring.

Shah argued that when an individual enters India illegally, local police stations and patwaris should detect it, but he alleged that officials in West Bengal do not raise alarms because they are reportedly acting under directives to welcome infiltrators, leading to unchecked entry in the state. In contrast, he said infiltration had been successfully stopped in Assam.

Urging voters in West Bengal to elect a new government in the 2026 assembly polls, Shah promised to “drive out every infiltrator” from the state if political leadership changed. He linked the infiltration issue to administrative failure in West Bengal and contrasted it with measures taken in Assam under BJP governance.

Shah also took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, noting that he had largely abandoned his previous claims of “vote theft” during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar. The yatra, conducted over the past few months, aimed to highlight alleged risks of disenfranchisement stemming from SIR. Shah remarked, “Perhaps the people of Bihar have made him give up on the charge. He must have been under advice based on some feedback.”

On the topic of the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, Shah dismissed opposition allegations that it was intended to destabilise non-BJP state governments. He explained that the bill stipulates that ministers, including the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, can be removed if jailed for 30 days or more, but emphasized that it does not automatically disqualify someone based on an FIR. Shah cited his own experience of stepping down from party positions when facing court cases until acquittal, highlighting the principle behind the amendment.

The Home Minister also recalled an incident involving Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in which Gandhi had torn up an ordinance that prevented politicians from automatic disqualification upon conviction. The ordinance was widely believed to have been intended to protect RJD president Lalu Prasad, a convicted fodder scam accused who had served as Railway Minister in the UPA-1 government.

Throughout his address, Shah reiterated that SIR would ensure electoral integrity by removing infiltrators, reaffirmed the BJP’s commitment to border security and administrative accountability, and stressed the party’s focus on electoral reforms to prevent political office-holders from exercising power while facing legal convictions.

The conclave in Patna drew attention to the government’s stance on illegal immigration, electoral roll revision, and constitutional accountability, with Shah underscoring the BJP’s efforts in Assam as a model for managing infiltration while highlighting alleged administrative lapses in West Bengal.