On 2nd March (Monday), Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a stinging attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and declared that while “only names of infiltrators are being deleted now” from voter lists, they would be “pushed out of the state” once the party gains a majority in West Bengal.
He mentioned that Bengal was made into a “swarg (heaven) for infiltrators” by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and emphasised that the security of the border state was jeopardised since the ruling government permitted illegal immigration. He expressed, “Bengal is a bordering state. The TMC cannot ensure security because they allow infiltration. Only the BJP can provide security to a bordering state like Bengal,” while addressing a “Parivartan” (change) rally in Mathurapur.
His comments coincide with the release of the post-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral rolls on 28 February (Saturday), which showed 63.66 lakh deletions or 8.3% of the electorate, since the exercise started in November. This resulted in a reduction of the voter base to slightly over 7.04 crore.
बंगाल को घुसपैठियों का गढ़ बनाने वाली ममता सरकार की विदाई तय है। दक्षिण 24 परगना में ‘परिवर्तन यात्रा’ के शुभारंभ से लाइव…
দক্ষিণ ২৪ পরগনায় ‘পরিবর্তন যাত্রা’র শুভ সূচনা থেকে সরাসরি দেখুন… https://t.co/WZxfeL7fyO
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 2, 2026
The union minister then announced, “I want to assure Hindu refugees that not a single one among them will lose their citizenship. Right now, only names are being deleted from voter rolls, and Mamata Didi is nervous. Once the BJP forms the government, we will identify and remove every infiltrator from Bengal.”
He reiterated the accusation that the TMC administration under Mamata Banerjee has not secured the borders, insisting that corruption and infiltration will cease once the BJP gains a majority. He charged Banerjee with being “busy inaugurating temples” while “allowing the building of Babri Masjid in Bengal.” He also indicated that Humayun Kabir’s suspension from the party was a “well-crafted conspiracy” to clear the way for the construction of such a structure.
Abhishek Banerjee will replace Mamata Banerjee
Shah urged voters to support the BJP, charging that the Trinamool Congress government was serving Abhishek Banerjee’s interests rather than those of the state’s citizens. “The aim of Mamata Banerjee is not the welfare of the people of Bengal. Instead of the welfare of the people of Bengal, she wants to do good to Abhishek Banerjee. She wants to make Abhishek Banerjee the Chief Minister,” he maintained.
“All the youth of Bengal, where is your name?. Your name cannot be on the list of TMC. Your name can only be on the list of Narendra Modi’s party. BJP is the only party that does not do politics for the family. Today, I have come to tell you that you have to stop doing politics for the family,” he voiced.
“Now the time has come to make Ravindranath Tagore’s dream ‘Sonar Bangla’ come true. Can Mamata Banerjee and ‘Bhaipo’ (nephew) build a golden bungalow?. I have come to tell the people of Bengal that if this time, you make the mistake of giving a vote to TMC, then ‘Bhaipo’ will rule here, not Mamata didi,” he stressed.
Shah also brought up the subject of violence during the state’s panchayat elections and warned, “In the panchayat elections, hundreds of our activists were attacked. Many people lost their lives. Many became handicapped. Many have not returned home yet. Mamata Banerjee, do you think that the BJP will be scared of your attack? We have the strength to bear it. “Bring back Lotus’ government, we will hang Mamata Banerjee’s goons upside down and straighten them out. We will choose each and every one of them and throw them behind bars.”
BJP’s call for “Parivartan”
The union minister asserted that the term “Parivartan” represents the aim to make West Bengal “infiltration and corruption free” and to install a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in place of the Trianmool Congress government.
“The Parivartan Yatras have been initiated to bring about change in West Bengal. Yesterday, Mamata didi said that this is a Yatra to gain power. Mamata didi, by the word ‘Parivartan,’ we do not mean to change the Chief Minister. The people of Bengal will change it (chief minister). But the meaning of ‘Parivartan’ is to make Bengal free from infiltration. It is meant to make Bengal corruption-free. ‘Parivartan’ means to throw away the corrupt TMC government and make the BJP government,” he stated.
He further conveyed, “I have come to Mathurapur today. Today, the Parivartan Yatra begins from here. A total of nine Yatras will begin all over Bengal. Four of these started yesterday. Our BJP National President Nitin Nabin inaugurated them. This journey started from Siliguri, Nabadwip, Medinipur, and Purulia. Today, the journey will begin from Malda, Hooghly, Bardhaman, North 24 Parganas and Mathurapur. The Parivartan Yatra is being launched in Bengal to initiate the change.
Shah added, “Bengal has endured significant hardship over the years. For decades, the Communist regime stifled the state’s growth. Once renowned as a land of abundance and prosperity, Bengal was driven from bad to worse by Communist rule, and its situation further deteriorated under Mamata Didi’s leadership, plunging many into poverty. Now, it is time to restore the glory of Sonar Bangla.”
7th Pay Commission, job opportunities
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s plan for West Bengal’s governance reform, job creation, administrative accountability, and socioeconomic development was also presented by Shah to a public audience during the Parivartan Yatra in Bhagabatipore (Gopinathpur Mouza), which in the Raidighi Assembly constituency.
He argued that real jobs, not short-term fixes, were the best way to combat unemployment. He accused that Mamata Banerjee had not addressed the issue of unemployment and through the distribution of subsidies, the Trinamool Congress is only engaged in dole politics. He added that Bengal’s youth require opportunity and transparent recruiting.
Shah declared that the 7th Pay Commission would be put into effect within 45 days if the BJP wins the state’s administration, providing long-overdue financial relief to public servants. Shah emphasised the importance of employment and stated that the hiring process for all open government positions would start on 26th December.
Additionally, he declared a special five-year age relaxation in government recruitment exams to make up for the opportunities that young people have been denied because of recruitment delays. He promised that transparent hiring procedures will be implemented to boost applicants’ self-esteem and guarantee equity in the selection process.
He stated that the West Bengal administration is disregarding the Supreme Court’s decision to pay state government employees their unpaid Dearness payment. He vowed that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were elected to power, it would fulfil the dreams of the state’s government workers.
The Parivartan Yatra is a massive statewide campaign ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, expected to cover over 5,000 km, including 63 major rallies and 282 smaller gatherings, culminating in a grand rally at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.