Mamata opposing Op Sindoor to appease minorities, Murshidabad riots were state-sponsored: Shah

KOLKATA: Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of “stooping low” by opposing Operation Sindoor and the Waqf Amendment Act to appease the Muslim vote bank, and alleging that the Murshidabad riots were “state-sponsored”.

Shah, addressing party leaders and workers here, gave a call to uproot the TMC government from power in next year’s assembly polls, asserting that the tenure of Banerjee as the CM will end in 2026.

“To appease the Muslim vote bank, Mamata didi opposed Operation Sindoor. By doing so, she is insulting the mothers and sisters of this country. You have not only opposed the military operation, but you have also played with the lives of crores of mothers and sisters. I have come to appeal to women of Bengal to explain the value of sindoor (vermillion) to those who are against Operation Sindoor, in the upcoming (assembly) elections,” he said.

Banerjee had recently accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of trying to exploit Operation Sindoor – the Centre’s military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack – for political gains.

“In the 2026 (assembly polls), the mothers and sisters of the state would teach the CM and the Trinamool Congress a lesson for opposing Operation Sindoor,” Shah asserted.

The home minister alleged that senior TMC leaders were complicit in the violence in Murshidabad in April, which broke out during protests over the contentious Waqf Amendment Act.

“The way a TMC minister incited the violence, it can be said that the Murshidabad riots were state-sponsored,” he claimed.

“The MHA kept on insisting about the deployment of BSF during the Murshidabad riots, but the TMC government didn’t allow it to happen so that the violence could continue. If BSF personnel had been deployed, Hindus would have been protected. It was only after BJP workers approached the high court that the BSF was finally sent in,” he alleged.

At least three people died and several others were injured in the April riots. This was Shah’s first visit to West Bengal since the Murshidabad clashes.

Sharpening his attack on Banerjee for the state of affairs under her rule, Shah said, “Today, Mamata didi has turned this great land of Bengal land into a hub of infiltration, corruption, atrocities on women, crime, bomb blasts and mistreatment of Hindus.”

Hitting out at the state government for obstructing national security efforts, he said, “Mamata Banerjee is opposing the Waqf Amendment Act for appeasement politics.”

The home minister also accused the ruling TMC of facilitating illegal cross-border movement.

“The Bengal elections will not only decide the future of the state, but it is also linked to the security of the country. Mamata Banerjee has left Bengal’s borders open for Bangladeshis. Infiltration is taking place with her blessings. Only the BJP government can stop this,” he said.

Responding to the TMC’s criticism of the BSF’s inability to stop infiltration, the senior BJP leader said the Mamata Banerjee-led government has not given the required land to the BSF.

“Once the TMC government gives BSF the required land, we will stop infiltration. But, it would never give land to the BSF, as the party wants infiltration to continue so that it can remain in power,” he claimed.

Shah also accused Banerjee of failing to take a firm stand on issues of national security.

“During previous regimes in which Mamata didi was also a minister, no steps were taken to deal firmly with terror attacks. But our PM Narendra Modi took firm measures against terror attacks by destroying terror camps across the border. But, Mamata didi has a problem with it,” he said.

“For the sake of her vote bank, Mamata didi has crossed all limits of stooping low. A few days ago, Pakistan-backed terrorists killed our innocent citizens in front of their families after asking them about their religion. Operation Sindoor was carried out to punish these terrorists. The headquarters of the terrorists were destroyed by entering Pakistan. However, Mamata didi was pained over the death of these terrorists. She opposed Operation Sindoor by issuing a cheap political statement,” Shah said.

He said that under Operation Sindoor, the central government conducted a deep strike 100 km into Pakistan, targeting terrorist headquarters.

“Numerous terrorists were killed, but this seems to trouble Mamata ji. By doing so, you are not only opposed to the mission, but also disregard the sentiments and emotions of the women of our country,” Shah said.

Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, Shah said, “When tourists from Bengal were killed in the assault, Mamata didi remained silent, but now she is having problems with Operation Sindoor.”

The home minister also launched a scathing attack on the state government over the teachers’ recruitment scam, saying, “Jobs of the youth are sold in the markets of Kolkata. So much money of the TMC has been seized from their leaders’ homes that even machines were tired of counting currency. This must now stop.”

Taking a swipe at the TMC chief over her political future, he added: “Mamata Banerjee can keep opposing the Waqf law, as she won’t be in power after the 2026 assembly polls.” PTI