‘People will answer bombs with ballots’: Amit Shah sharpens Bengal pitch, vows UCC and crackdown
The Statesman | 13 April 2026
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday sharpened his attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress, alleging that its leaders are linked to every major corruption case in West Bengal and asserting that voters are ready to bring in a political change.
Addressing campaign rallies in Birbhum district, including Bolpur and Mayureswar’s Palli Mangal Club Ground, Shah framed the upcoming Assembly elections as a decisive moment, claiming public frustration with governance in the state and signalling the BJP’s intent to make corruption, women’s safety and law and order central poll issues.
“From cash-for-query to cash-for-job, from cattle smuggling to coal smuggling, from PDS scam to illegal land grabbing — name any field of corruption, and you will find the footprints of Trinamool Congress leaders there. The people are frustrated by this misrule, and hence they are determined to bring a change in the system through the Assembly polls in the state,” the Union Home Minister said.
He also claimed that the turnout and mood at the rallies reflected a shift in public sentiment. “The enthusiasm of the people at the Birbhum Bolpur public meeting was telling us that Trinmaool Congress is on its way out,” he said.
Taking aim at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shah criticised the state government’s handling of women’s safety and referred to her remarks advising women not to step out after evening hours.
“Mamata Didi says that women should not step out after 7 PM. Mamata didi have some shame, despite being a woman Chief Minister yourself, you couldn’t protect the sister of Bengal,” Shah said.
Projecting the BJP as an alternative, he added, “You just form a BJP government once, we will make such a Bengal where even a little girl can ride out on a scooter at 1 AM at night. No Sandeshkhali, RG Kar, Durgapur Law College or South Kolkata Law College-like incident will happen.”
He also said it was a matter of concern that women were being advised not to step out at night.
Reiterating a key policy plank, Shah said that a BJP government in West Bengal would implement the Uniform Civil Code. “If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in West Bengal after the polls, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be in force in the state at any cost,” he said.
“The BJP will bring UCC in Bengal, and after the implementation of UCC, the practice of four marriages will come to an end,” he added.
Intensifying his attack, Shah accused the state leadership of attempting to create fear among communities.
“Just now, I was watching a speech of Mamata Didi. She was scaring the majority community here, saying that if TMC isn’t there, the majority community won’t survive. During their rule, there were riots in Murshidabad, attacks on Ram Navami, a ban on Saraswati Puja – where had she gone then?” he said.
He also asserted that political violence would not deter voters. “The goons of TMC will no longer be able to terrorise the people of Bengal with their bomb blasts. The people of Bengal will respond to bombs with ballots and to fear with trust,” he said.
Shah issued a strong warning to alleged anti-social elements, saying strict action would follow any attempt to disrupt voting.
“My advice to them is that they should remain within their houses on the polling days. Otherwise, from May 5, we will hunt out each of them and send them behind bars,” he said.
“I am telling the goons of TMC today – stay locked in your homes on 23 April, otherwise, on 4 May, you will be handpicked and thrown behind the bars of jail,” he added.
“On 23 April, no TMC goon will be able to harm even a hair of Bengal’s voters,” Shah said.
Shah also accused the state government of obstructing border security measures. “TMC is not giving land to the BSF for border fencing. After the formation of our government in West Bengal within 45 days, land will be given for fencing along the state border. We will remove illegal immigrants not only from West Bengal but from the entire nation,” he said.
Raising local concerns, he alleged that civic issues were being ignored. “These TMC goons, who roam in black-tinted glasses and extort cut money, cannot see the water problem in Mayureswar,” he said.
Highlighting the Centre’s contributions, Shah said, “Modi ji secured a place for Gurudev’s Shanti Niketan in UNESCO’s heritage list and accorded classical language status to the Bengali language.”
The 294-member West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.