Amit Shah Accuses Mamata Banerjee of Obstructing Border Security

Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of obstructing national security by failing to provide land for India-Bangladesh border fencing despite repeated requests since 2014. Speaking at a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) event in Siliguri on August 21, Shah claimed that Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress ignored pleas for land, which he stated were meant for the BSF and not the BJP.

Shah contrasted this alleged indifference with the actions of current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He noted that Adhikari allotted 1,129 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) and SSB within 45 days of taking office, including 560 acres for the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken Neck. This corridor is critical for connecting eight northeastern states and borders Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.

During the visit, Shah inaugurated SSB infrastructure projects worth ₹189 crore and announced a new border security administration headquarters in Siliguri. He also announced increased security presence in Chopra, Kishanganj, and Dhubri to combat infiltration. Additionally, Shah highlighted a planned high-speed transport corridor between Siliguri and New Delhi and inaugurated an exhibition on the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam criminal laws.