Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses at the BJP's membership drive, in Kolkata
PTI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday claimed that West Bengal would stop hearing bombs instead of Rabindrasangeet once BJP came to power in the state in 2026 and stopped the 'state-sponsored infiltration' at the Bengal-Bangladesh border.
"There is state-sponsored infiltration in Bengal and the only way to stop this is to elect the BJP in 2026... Instead of Rabindrasangeet, Bengal today is hearing the sound of bombs," he said.
"In 2026, BJP will form government with two-thirds majority" he added.
Shah was in the state to launch BJP's membership drive in West Bengal and set a target of getting one crore members from the region.
This was Shah's first visit to Bengal after the Lok Sabha polls in April-May, and also after the RG Kar incident, where a woman doctor was allegedly raped and murdered, which triggered a national-wide protest.
His remarks came after he had inaugurated a new passenger terminal building and a cargo gate 'Maitri Dwar' at the Petrapole land port.
“In establishing peace in the region, land ports play an important role. When there is no scope for the legal movement of people across the border, illegal modes of movement arise, which impacts the peace of the country...There can be peace in Bengal only when infiltration stops," Shah told the gathering.
"Acche Din in West Bengal will start from 2026", he emphasised, accusing the ruling TMC party leaders in the state of looting the money ear marked for the people of Bengal under schemes like PMGSY and PMAY.
Amit Shah also promoted the four Ps — prosperity, peace, partnership and progress — across borders under PM Modi's leadership.
The modernised land port will start a new era of friendship and also stop smuggling, he said, adding that more than 70 per cent of the border trade between India and Bangladesh took place through Petrapole.
The land port at Petrapole is the largest such facility in South Asia and a vital gateway for trade and commerce between the two countries.
(With agency inputs)