Guwahati: The centre is not “getting support” from the West Bengal government in its attempts to control illegal infiltration on the India-Bangladesh border, Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleged on Monday.
Addressing a massive BJP rally in Guwahati to mark the first anniversary of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government in Assam, Amit Shah hit out at Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“In Bengal and Assam both, we are making efforts to stop illegal infiltration. In Bengal, we don’t get any support, so we are not getting any success in stopping illegal infiltration. But in Assam, we are seeing success since the state government is standing tall like a mountain in front of the illegal infiltrators,” Mr Shah said.
The mega rally, which the BJP claimed was attended by close to a lakh people, was a massive show of strength for the party in Assam – a state where the party has not lost a single election at any level since 2016. Mr Shah upped the ante on illegal immigration.
“All doors from Assam for cattle smuggling have been closed. I have inspected the Bangladesh border with Assam yesterday. I can say a massive downfall has started in the past six years in infiltration. Zero tolerance against criminals has been our commitment. The land mafias have been taken to task. The rhino horn poachers have been driven out of Kaziranga,” Mr Shah added.
But the opposition has called out the BJP the celebrations insensitive to the common man’s problems.
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“In the past one year, the Himanta Biswa Sarma government has killed the economy of the state, so much so that Assam’s per capita income is lowest in the country,” said former MP and Assam Trinamool Congress chief Ripun Bora.
The BJP’s big bash was also seen as politically significant since three northeastern states will hold polls early next year.
