West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched a fierce political offensive against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, holding him and the central government directly responsible for the recent communal unrest in Murshidabad.
Speaking at a meeting of Imams, Muazzins, and intellectuals at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, Mamata alleged that the violence was "completely planned" and orchestrated with the help of central agencies and outsiders brought in by the BJP.
Although she avoided naming Shah directly, her message was unmistakably sharp. “The Home Ministry has become like Kalidas—cutting the very branch it is sitting on,” she said, suggesting that the ministry is undermining national unity and harmony through its current policies and actions.
Taking her criticism a step further, Mamata ridiculed Shah’s political ambitions.
“You will never be the Prime Minister. What will happen if Modi ji steps down? You will have to crawl. I’ll tell Modi ji to control him a little—he has handed over all the agencies to him,” she added, indicating her belief that Shah was using investigative and intelligence agencies to destabilise Bengal.
Mamata alleged that the violence in Murshidabad was deliberately engineered to polarise voters ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
According to her, the BJP brought in outsiders and used children—allegedly paying them Rs 5,000–6,000—to provoke violence. She accused the Border Security Force (BSF) of allowing cross-border movement from Bangladesh, claiming that this too was part of a coordinated plan to stoke unrest. “Why would the BSF allow people from Bangladesh to enter? Why would the BJP create riots through agencies?” she questioned.
While placing primary blame on Shah and the BJP, Mamata turned her attention to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mamata accused the BJP of attempting to polarise Bengal along religious lines.
“Your Jumla government claims to be only for Hindus. That is why the country is in unrest. If this continues, India will be divided. Instead of breaking the country, try to unite it,” she said.
Mamata also addressed dissatisfaction among some sections of the Muslim community regarding the Waqf Amendment Act, clarifying that it was a decision made by Delhi, not the state.
“We opposed it, protested the most, and even filed a case in the Supreme Court,” she said. She urged those upset to take their protest to Delhi. “Go meet the Prime Minister. Our MPs will go with you,” she assured.
Her remarks come amid growing political tension in Bengal and unrest across parts of the state. Mamata’s bold and provocative statements are expected to trigger a political firestorm in the coming days.
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