Amit Shah's infiltrator remark 'politically motivated': Congress MP

Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh criticised Home Minister Amit Shah's infiltrator remarks as politically motivated for elections. Shah accused WB CM Mamata Banerjee of abetting infiltration for vote bank politics. Banerjee refuted the claims.

Congress calls remarks 'politically motivated'

Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Tuesday criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on infiltrators, calling it a "politically motivated" statement which is linked to elections. Speaking to ANI, the Congress MP, citing Bihar as an example, said that the BJP and Amit Shah raise the issue of infiltrators in every election-bound state, but after the NRC process, no infiltrators were found. "This statement is politically motivated and linked to elections. In every state where elections are held, the BJP and Amit Shah raise the issue of infiltrators. Elections were recently held in Bihar, and Amit Shah was raising the issue of infiltrators there too, but the NRC process was conducted and not a single infiltrator was found. Similarly, in Bengal and Assam, they will continue to search for infiltrators until the elections are over, but there is no place for them in these two states," Akhilesh Prasad Singh said.

Shah questions Mamata over infiltration, border fencing

Earlier today, while addressing a press conference in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah questioned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged infiltration of illegal immigrants in the state, accusing her government of refusing to provide land for border fencing. "It is the West Bengal government which is not allotting land to establish border fencing along Bangladesh. Can the CM answer why infiltration has stopped at the borders of Tripura, Assam, Rajasthan, Punjab, Kashmir and Gujarat? It is because, in West Bengal, infiltration occurs under your watch to bring about demographic change and strengthen your votes. The next election will be fought on the issues of stopping infiltration and removing infiltrators from here. Infiltration happening from the Bengal border is an issue of national security," Shah said.

He said that infiltration has stopped in Tripura and Assam, while it continues in West Bengal. Shah claimed that Mamata Banerjee wants the infiltration to continue for political purposes, which he said was "to expand her vote bank". "Mamata, today I want to ask you a simple question. Which government refuses to provide land for border fencing? I will answer it myself -- it is your government that does not provide land for border fencing. I then want to ask why infiltrators first enter Bengal. What are your patwaris and police stations doing? Why are these infiltrators not sent back? Can the Bengal government explain why infiltration has been stopped in Assam and Tripura? It is happening only in Bengal because this is taking place under your watch. You want to change Bengal's demography to expand your vote bank," he said.

Mamata Banerjee hits back, compares BJP leaders to Mahabharat characters

Further, responding to Union Minister Amit Shah's accusations, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee compared BJP leaders to Duryodhana and Dushasana, mythological characters in the epic Mahabharat. Banerjee noted that the TMC government granted land for fencing in Petrapol and Andal. Addressing a public meeting, she said, "Remember the situation 14 years ago, people were scared. A lot of development work was done for Bankura, and much was done to overcome the water crisis. The elections have arrived, and people are being harassed in the name of SIR."

"A Dushasana has come to Bengal. As soon as the elections come, Dushasana and Duryodhana start appearing. Dushasana has come, a disciple of Shakuni, who has come to gather information. Today, they are saying that Mamata Banerjee didn't give land. If I hadn't given the land, what would have happened? Who gave the land in Petrapole? Who gave the land in Andal?" the CM added. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)