Bengal polls key to national security: Shah releases 'chargesheet' on TMC

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday sharpened the BJP's campaign pitch for the West Bengal Assembly polls by releasing a 'charge sheet' against the TMC government and framing the election as a battle not merely for the state, but for the country's security.

Launching a broadside at the ruling TMC in Kolkata, Shah alleged that during its 15-year rule, the state had become the country's "principal corridor for infiltration, appeasement politics and border insecurity".

"The Bengal election is important not only for the state but for the entire country. The security of the country is, in a way, linked to the Bengal election," Shah said.

Arguing that infiltration routes through Assam had been "shut" after the BJP came to power there, Shah claimed West Bengal was now "the only remaining route" for infiltration.

"West Bengal is the only state from where infiltrators are entering the country and creating disturbances," he said.

The BJP leader repeatedly linked the issue to what he described as the TMC's "appeasement and vote-bank politics," accusing the state government of obstructing efforts to strengthen border management.

Shah alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government had not provided land for border fencing despite repeated requests from the Centre and added that the refusal was "politically motivated".

"The TMC government has not provided land for border fencing as they want to create a vote-bank of infiltrators," Shah alleged.