Mahua Moitra’s Statement on Gujaratis and Bengalis Fuels Pre-Poll Political Row

The battle of narratives around the West Bengal election have sharpened as TMC MP Mahua Moitra and Union Home Minister Amit Shah traded strong charges. While Moitra questioned the portrayal of Bengalis and attacked central agencies, Shah released a detailed "charge sheet" accusing the TMC government of endangering national security.

At a Trinamool Congress press conference, party leaders unveiled their own chargesheet targeting the BJP. During the event, Mahua Moitra launched a sharp comparison of regional contributions to the independence struggle, and also alleged a systematic attempt to criminalise Bengalis, linking it to current political and investigative actions against opposition parties.

West Bengal election debate over infiltration and security

Earlier in the day, Amit Shah addressed reporters and framed the coming West Bengal election as critical for the entire country. Shah argued that developments in the state had direct security implications, especially in relation to infiltration across the international border and the safety of the Siliguri corridor, which links the Northeast to the rest of India.

Shah claimed that illegal immigration patterns had shifted after the BJP formed governments in neighbouring regions. According to Shah, infiltration through Assam had "almost come to an end" under BJP rule, but West Bengal had, in his words, become the "last remaining route through which infiltrators enter India and disperse across states", making the state polls nationally significant.

West Bengal election chargesheet by BJP and TMC

Releasing the BJP’s "charge sheet" against the Mamata Banerjee government, Shah alleged that after around 15 years of TMC rule, West Bengal had turned into the country's "principal corridor" for infiltration. Shah blamed what he described as "TMC's appeasement politics, corruption and political violence" for this situation, and said these issues formed the core of the BJP’s case before voters.

Shah also argued that the security of the Siliguri corridor faced new risks. He said the narrow land strip, vital for connecting the Northeast to the mainland, was under pressure "because of the TMC government's appeasement politics". Shah further alleged that the state government had repeatedly declined to provide land needed by the Centre for fencing along the Bangladesh border.

Responding to Banerjee’s criticism of the Election Commission, Shah accused the TMC chief of trying to protect a "minority vote bank". He said, "The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has taken place in other states too, but nowhere has it been made such an issue. It has been made an issue in Bengal only because Mamata Banerjee wants to protect her vote bank."

West Bengal election row over Bengali identity comments

During the TMC event, Mahua Moitra turned attention to history and identity. Speaking about the freedom struggle, Moitra said, "Bengalis are a very proud race. We led the war for independence against the British. Who were the Gujaratis?... 68 per cent of the names of the people who were killed and incarcerated in Kala Pani were Bengalis, followed by Punjabis."

Moitra then challenged the audience by referring to freedom fighters sent to the Cellular Jail. Moitra said, "Can you name me one Gujarati who was there, apart from your big hero, Veer Savarkar, who only wanted to sit and write apology letters? Please let us know." The comment drew immediate political attention, given the sensitivity around regional and historical pride.

Moitra also accused political rivals of targeting people from Bengal through a deliberate multi-step strategy. "You have declared every Bengali as a criminal, and you do it in four steps: first you insult us, then you deprive us, then you criminalise us, and then you harass us..." Moitra said, arguing that these steps were linked to current investigative and administrative actions.

West Bengal election, ED cases and political targeting claims

Linking central agencies to the West Bengal election climate, Moitra targeted the Enforcement Directorate. Moitra said, "The Enforcement Directorate reports to him, the ED has filed nearly 6,000 cases, 98 per cent against opposition leaders. You have convicted just 25 people, a rate of 0.42%..." Moitra suggested this record showed political use of investigations rather than effective prosecution.

Key figures highlighted by Moitra during the press conference included data on ED activity and historical incarceration. These details formed part of TMC’s wider attack on the BJP’s style of governance and use of central bodies during the West Bengal election campaign, contrasting sharply with the BJP’s security-focused allegations against the state administration.

Some of the numerical claims raised in the exchanges are set out below:

Shah, meanwhile, questioned Mamata Banerjee’s political style and relationship with institutions. "Mamata Didi has always played the politics of the victim card. Sometimes she talks about her injury, sometimes she abuses the Election Commission. But the people of Bengal now understand Mamata Didi's victim-card politics very well," he said, arguing voters had seen through this approach.

Shah also said, "Abusing constitutional bodies like the Election Commission is not part of Bengali culture," directly linking his criticism to regional identity. He maintained that the West Bengal election had become a test of national security and border management, while the TMC framed it as a fight over federal powers, regional respect, and alleged misuse of investigative agencies.