TMC trying to turn Bengal into Bangladesh through infiltration: Nadda

Jalpaiguri (WB), Apr 19 (PTI) Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the ruling TMC in West Bengal, accusing it of pursuing a politics of “appeasement”, shielding infiltrators and presiding over a regime marked by corruption, extortion and lawlessness. Addressing an election rally in north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, Nadda alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government was attempting to “turn Bengal into Bangladesh” by allowing infiltration from across the border. The TMC’s job is appeasement. They are in pursuit of turning Bengal into Bangladesh by allowing Bangladeshi infiltrators,” the former BJP national president said. Seeking to make infiltration a central poll plank, the senior BJP leader asserted that a BJP government in the state would identify and expel infiltrators. “I assure you that a BJP government will come to power in Bengal, and we will identify and remove the infiltrators. We will root them out one by one,” Nadda said. He claimed that the people of Bengal had decided to bid farewell to the Mamata Banerjee government and bring in a “double-engine” BJP government in the state. Turning his guns on the TMC over corruption, Nadda accused the ruling party of running a system based on extortion, “cut money,” syndicates, and loot. “The TMC government is engaged in extortion, cut money, syndicates and now from sand theft to stealing government jobs. They also steal the grain meant for the poor under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana,” he alleged. He said the BJP had decided to bring out a “white paper” on corruption in West Bengal if voted to power. “We have decided that we will bring a white paper on the corruption of the TMC. Legal action will be taken against those who have committed corruption in Bengal,” Nadda said. In an unusually sharp warning directed at local TMC leaders and workers, the BJP leader said action would be taken against those who had “taken the law into their own hands”. “Listen with your ears wide open, TMC goons. After May 5, your time is up. Action will be taken against TMC goons under the law, and the people here will be freed from this ruthless government,” he said. Nadda also sought to turn the BJP-led Centre’s setback over the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 into an election issue, accusing the TMC and the Congress of depriving women of their rights. He said the BJP-led government at the Centre planned to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies beginning with the next general election, but opposition parties blocked the move. “Prime Minister Modiji brought a bill so that women would get 33 per cent reservation in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and in state assemblies. But the TMC and Congress opposed the bill. They did not oppose the bill, they opposed the rights of women,” Nadda said. He alleged that not only the TMC and Congress, but also the DMK, Samajwadi Party and the Left parties had joined hands to stall the move in Parliament. “The people of Bengal and especially women will never forgive the TMC for what happened in Parliament two days ago,” he said. Projecting the BJP as the only alternative in West Bengal, Nadda said the party would restore law and order, act against corruption and move the state towards what he described as “Ram Rajya”. “The people of Bengal are suffering in misery today. It is your responsibility to bring down such a government,” he told the gathering. He also conducted a road show in the Dabgram-Fulbari area in Jalpaiguri district.