As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists begins across West Bengal and the hearing process gets underway, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday placed infiltration at the centre of his political offensive in the state, declaring it would be the biggest issue in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Shah said infiltrators would not only be stopped but also sent out of the country. At the same time, he sought to reassure the Matua community, stating that they have nothing to fear.
At the outset, Shah said infiltration in West Bengal was no longer just a state-level concern but had become a national security issue, alleging that the country’s overall security was being compromised. He directly blamed the state government, accusing it of silently supporting attempts to alter Bengal’s geographical boundaries and demographic composition.
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The BJP has repeatedly accused the Trinamool Congress government of failing to act against infiltration. In response, the state government has often countered by questioning the role of the Border Security Force (BSF) along the international border. Addressing this, Shah said border fencing could not be completed because the state government had failed to allot land.
Stepping up his attack, Shah questioned the role of the state police, asking why infiltrators were not being identified or deported even after entering the state. Citing Assam and Tripura, he said both states had once faced similar challenges but were now peaceful. Drawing a parallel with Gujarat, Shah asked why West Bengal could not achieve the same results.
He further alleged that infiltrators were being treated as a vote bank, accusing the state government of appeasement politics and of quietly backing the issue.
The press conference also came amid fresh concerns over the citizenship status of the Matuas in the backdrop of the SIR exercise, with fears that names could be dropped from the voter list. Addressing these concerns, Union Minister of State and BJP leader Shantanu Thakur said that if any Matua names were removed, the government would grant them citizenship and restore their names. Thakur was present at the press conference.
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While Shah did not delve into details about the SIR process or voter lists, he addressed the concern directly, asserting that the Matuas are refugees and citizens of India. Calling it a firm commitment of the BJP, he said no one could harm them.
Political analysts said it had been evident since the launch of the Special Intensive Revision that infiltration would emerge as a key electoral issue ahead of 2026. By explicitly foregrounding it at Tuesday’s press conference, they said, Shah has now firmly set the BJP’s campaign narrative in West Bengal.
