BJP will hand over land to BSF within 45 days of forming govt in Bengal: Amit Shah

Siliguri : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in West Bengal after the Assembly elections, all land required for border fencing will be handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) within 45 days. Addressing a public gathering in Bagdogra, Shah asserted that infiltration in West Bengal has become a matter of national security and alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government was allowing it to continue. “Mamata Didi is not going to give the land even after the High Court’s order. But her time is up. By the end of April, a BJP Chief Minister will be formed in Bengal and within 45 days all the land will be handed over to the BSF. Not only will infiltration stop, but every infiltrator will be identified and sent back,” Shah said while addressing a workers’ conference. The Home Minister claimed that the TMC leadership was opposed to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls because it would lead to the identification and removal of illegal infiltrators. He also alleged non-cooperation by West Bengal government officials with the Election Commission during the SIR process. “Mamata Banerjee’s officers are not cooperating with the Election Commission. The BJP is fully supporting the SIR to ensure a purified voter list and will extend full cooperation to the EC,” he said. Drawing comparisons with other BJP-ruled states, Shah claimed infiltration had stopped in Assam, Gujarat and Rajasthan after BJP governments came to power. Shah further criticised the state government over the condition of tea garden workers, alleging they had not received real benefits. He said that, if voted to power, the BJP would grant ownership rights over land to tea garden workers in West Bengal, similar to Assam.