Press Conference of Assam Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma

At a press conference held in Kolkata today, Assam Chief Minister Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma was present. At the very beginning of the conference, he congratulated Dr. Ashok Lahiri and the people of West Bengal on being nominated as the Vice Chairman of the NITI Aayog committee, and also congratulated Dr. Gobardhan Das on being nominated as a member of NITI Aayog. He stated that the BJP is already poised to win 110 seats in the first phase and will secure 200 seats in the West Bengal Assembly elections this time.

During the conference, Shri Sarma highlighted several important issues concerning the political and social situation of West Bengal. He firmly stated that just as BJP will secure 100 seats in the Assam Assembly elections, in West Bengal the party will achieve a ‘double century’ by winning more than 200 seats. According to him, the strong desire for change among the people of Bengal is unprecedented.

Expressing deep concern, the Assam Chief Minister said that over the past few decades, the demographic structure of West Bengal has changed rapidly. West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam are interconnected. If the border remains open in even one state and infiltration occurs, its impact will be felt across the entire country. He added that in Assam too, minority populations have significantly increased in border districts, and the abnormal rise in voter numbers in such areas indicates infiltration. He warned that if this continues for the next 20 years, Bengal’s own heritage will be at risk.

Launching a sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee’s government, he stated that fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border has been stalled due to the non-cooperation of the West Bengal government. Out of the proposed 456 km of fencing work, the state government has handed over land for only 77 km. While work is progressing rapidly in Assam and Tripura, it is not happening here. He also mentioned that the Calcutta High Court has imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on the West Bengal government in this matter. Presenting statistics, he said voter numbers have increased by 105% in North Dinajpur and 94.8% in Malda. He also cited significant increases in other border districts. Attacking the Trinamool government, he alleged that due to appeasement politics and financial gains from cross-border drug trafficking and currency smuggling, the government is ignoring infiltration. He significantly remarked that Trinamool does not want leaders or journalists from other states to visit West Bengal, as the truth of what is happening here would then be exposed. He questioned why Trinamool faces no issues when campaigning in Assam, Tripura, or Meghalaya, but objects when leaders from those states come to West Bengal.

Shri Sarma compared the current economic condition of West Bengal with Odisha and Assam, stating that the state is steadily falling behind. He alleged that instead of industrial development, ‘syndicate culture’ and ‘Abhishek tax’ (illegal levies imposed on truck drivers) dominate the state. He assured that if BJP comes to power, West Bengal will once again be transformed into one of India’s leading industrial states.

He clearly stated that the West Bengal election is not just a state election, but extremely important for the security of Northeast India and the country as a whole. He emphasized the need for a strict border policy to prevent infiltration and protect the rights of the people of Bengal.

In conclusion, Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to the people of West Bengal to support the BJP in the interest of development and to build an infiltration-free ‘Sonar Bangla’.