PTI
Katwa/Jangipur/Kushmandi (WB)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday gave the BJP’s Bengal campaign a sharp ideological edge, weaving together citizenship, identity and infiltration as he promised to speed up citizenship under the CAA for refugee communities if voted to power, pledged to implement the Uniform Civil Code and warned infiltrators’ to “pack their bags”.
Addressing rallies from the Matua belt of Katwa to Muslim-majority Jangipur and the tribal-dominated border area of Kushmandi, Modi sought to turn the 2026 assembly polls into a straight fight between what he called “TMC’s fear and BJP’s trust”, asking voters to give the BJP “five years” after 34 years of the Left and 15 years of the TMC.
Claiming that rapid demographic changes were taking place in several parts of the state, he alleged that the ruling party had abandoned its old slogan of “Maa-Mati-Manush (mother-land-people)” and now relies on appeasement, infiltrators and vote-bank politics to retain power, declaring that “the BJP would not allow Bengalis to become a minority in the state”. The three rallies together offered a picture of the BJP’s Bengal strategy: stitch together citizenship for refugee communities, demographic anxieties, anti-infiltration rhetoric, welfare promises and anger against the TMC into a single political narrative of change.
The BJP’s choice of venues reflected the social coalition it is trying to build weeks ahead of the polls — Matuas and Namasudras in south Bengal, Hindu consolidation in Muslim-majority Murshidabad and Rajbanshi, tribal and border voters in north Bengal.
“I have come to give a guarantee to the Matua, Namasudra and refugee families of Bengal. You are not here by the grace of any TMC leader. You are here under the protection of the Constitution,” the PM said at Katwa.
“Modi enacted the CAA law so that Matua, Namasudra and refugee families receive the guarantee of the Constitution. As soon as a BJP government is formed here, the work of granting citizenship to refugee families under CAA will be expedited,” he said.
The promise came a day after the Bengal BJP manifesto pledged citizenship and rehabilitation for all Hindu refugees, a message aimed at Matua and Namasudra voters, many of whom have complained of large-scale deletions from electoral rolls during the SIR.
Modi paired the citizenship promise with a warning on alleged illegal immigration.
“Infiltrators will be driven out. I will tell every infiltrator to pack their belongings. It is time to leave,” he said, adding that not only infiltrators but also those who had “facilitated” them would face action.
At Jangipur, Modi sharpened the BJP’s identity pitch, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code in West Bengal.
“BJP’s resolve is to implement UCC in West Bengal to end the politics of appeasement forever,” he said, a day after the party’s manifesto promised to implement the law within six months of coming to power.
“The TMC came to power by raising the slogan of Maa-Mati-Manush. But now it wants to form a government for infiltrators with their votes. West Bengal will no longer tolerate appeasement and vote-bank politics. We will not allow Bengalis to become a minority in the state,” Modi said.
This election is not merely about a change of power, the Prime Minister said, adding, “It is a vote to preserve Bengal’s identity and future.”
He also referred to violence during Ram Navami processions and accused the ruling party of protecting those responsible.
The PM also accused the TMC of circulating AI-generated videos to mislead voters as it sensed defeat in the polls.
“That is why they have started spreading lies by using AI to create videos. I urge you not to be misled by these. Come out in large numbers to vote for the BJP,” he said.
The remarks appeared to be aimed at a video circulated by the ruling party purportedly showing Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder Humayun Kabir.
If Katwa and Jangipur were aimed at refugee and identity politics, Kushmandi saw Modi launch a fierce attack on the Mamata Banerjee government over corruption, syndicates and crimes against women.
“In Bengal, the syndicate is the government and the government is the syndicate,” he said.
Claiming that the ruling party had “mastered the art of goondaism and corruption” and “done a PhD in it”, Modi said.
“TMC has handed over even the game of football to its syndicates,” he said, referring to Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata last year, which was marred by mismanagement, causing chaotic scenes at Salt Lake Stadium.
Seeking to invoke Bengali pride, Modi referred to the outrage over the RG Kar rape-and-murder case.
“Mohun Bagan and East Bengal fight on the field for victory. But after the RG Kar incident, both stood shoulder to shoulder on the streets. In the same way, Bengal must unite to teach the TMC government a lesson,” he said.
Modi promised that all pending cases of atrocities against women would be reopened if the BJP came to power.
He also pledged a “white paper” on the alleged corruption, murders, atrocities and syndicate network of the TMC’s 15 years in office.
Modi repeatedly asked voters to compare the tenure of the Left, the TMC and the BJP.
“You gave the Left 35 years. You gave the TMC 15 years. Give Modi five years,” he said.
Polls to the 294-member assembly will be held on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
