4 months ago
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee connected Thursday (February 5, 2026) said her authorities had nary objection successful providing onshore for borderline fencing, but insisted that the Centre indispensable archetypal rotation backmost the “arbitrary” determination to grow the BSF’s jurisdiction successful the authorities from 15 km to 50 km.
Limits and borders: On the territorial jurisdiction of the Border Security Force
Speaking successful the Assembly during treatment connected the Governor’s address, Ms. Banerjee rejected allegations by the Centre and the BJP implicit the State authorities obstructing borderline fencing, asserting that onshore had already been provided to each cardinal organisations and agencies, including the BSF.
“Land volition not beryllium a problem. You volition get land. But first, alteration the arbitrary regularisation expanding BSF’s jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km,” she said, reiterating her government’s committedness to nationalist security.
The remarks came amid a caller warfare of words betwixt the Centre and the Trinamool Congress-led authorities implicit “delay” successful fencing, alleged amerciable migration and the absorption of West Bengal’s agelong and porous borders with Bangladesh.
Ms. Banerjee took nonstop purpose astatine Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who precocious accused the State of not cooperating connected fencing, alleging that the Centre was selectively presenting facts.
“He is not giving the afloat information connected however overmuch onshore the authorities has already provided,” she said, adding that onshore had been allotted to cardinal agencies, ranging from railways to defence establishments.
Referring to BJP’s repeated absorption connected infiltration, the CM questioned the “narrow security-only narrative”.
“They recognize lone 1 word, infiltration. Will the younker and caller voters not get enrolled?” she asked, arguing that excessive securitisation of borderline areas risks disrupting antiauthoritarian processes and the lives of mean people.
Her involution rapidly turned into a crisp governmental duel with Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who alleged that demographic changes owed to infiltration posed a superior threat, and claimed that the Centre had written aggregate times seeking onshore for fencing, which was not provided.
Ms. Banerjee dismissed the charge, saying she had seen “many location ministers” and did not request lessons connected governance.
“We person fixed onshore to SAIL, the Railways and each cardinal agencies. Finish the enactment connected the onshore already given, past we volition springiness more,” she said, asserting that the State had nary work to publically enumerate however overmuch onshore it had already handed over.
The Chief Minister besides utilized the level of the House to motorboat a broader governmental counterattack up of the 2026 Assembly elections, informing the BJP that it would “lose galore seats” successful the State.
Mocking the “double-engine government” pitch, she said the BJP was “zero before, zero present and volition stay zero”, adjacent arsenic Ms. Banerjee urged absorption leaders to “stay well”, a remark that mixed sarcasm with governmental theatre.
Turning to improvement works, Ms. Banerjee presented a database of State-funded projects, including the long-pending Ghatal Master Plan, for which she said Bengal had waited 15 years earlier sanctioning ₹1,500 crore connected its own.
She claimed that implicit ₹300 crore worthy of enactment had already been completed and accused the Centre of discontinuing schemes named aft Mahatma Gandhi.
On the contented of infiltration and Rohingya-related allegations, Ms. Banerjee challenged the BJP to nutrient evidence.
“Have you recovered adjacent 1 Rohingya? Elections were held successful 2024 connected this elector list. If determination was a problem, inquire the Prime Minister to resign,” she said, successful 1 of her sharpest rhetorics during the debate.
Mr. Adhikari, meanwhile, maintained that infiltration was altering Bengal’s demography and said absorption MPs and MLAs were being attacked, forcing them to attack courts.
Mr. Banerjee changeable back, accusing the BJP of selectively targeting Bengal, portion remaining soundless connected alleged attacks against migrant workers successful different states.
The speech underscored however borderline absorption has go some a information contented and a potent governmental limb successful Bengal, wherever the ruling TMC accuses the Centre of eroding national principles, and the BJP alleges administrative apathy and vote-bank politics.
