From 'Jungle Raj' to 'Maha Jungle Raj': How West Bengal Slipped Into Lawlessness Under TMC Rule

Once, the term "Jungle Raj" was politically weaponised to describe Bihar's dark years of lawlessness and institutional decay. Today, West Bengal has not only inherited that tag but expanded it into what it calls a "Maha Jungle Raj" under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime.

Marked by recurring political violence, large-scale corruption scandals, organised extortion rackets, communal unrest, and mounting concerns over illegal infiltration, Bengal under TMC has increasingly drawn national attention for the wrong reasons.

Corruption at the Core of Governance

At the heart of the BJP's attack lies what it calls institutionalised corruption, backed by court orders and central agency investigations. The most damaging blow came from the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, which shook the state's education system.

In 2024, the Supreme Court upheld findings of massive irregularities in teacher recruitment, leading to the cancellation of over 25,000 appointments. Investigators uncovered tampered OMR sheets, fake appointment letters, and illegal hiring. Former education minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested after over ₹50 crore in cash was seized from properties linked to his associate Arpita Mukherjee.

The ED has since attached assets worth over ₹636 crore, while several TMC leaders, including sitting MLAs and youth wing functionaries, remain under investigation.Beyond education, Bengal has been rocked by cattle smuggling, coal smuggling, ration diversion, and MGNREGA job card scams, allegedly involving senior TMC leaders.

The coal smuggling case, linked to illegal mining and transport from Eastern Coalfields Limited areas, is estimated to have caused a loss of over ₹1,900 crore to the exchequer. The ED conducted raids at more than 24 locations in late 2025. Similarly, the PDS ration scam, involving diversion of subsidised food grains worth over ₹1,000 crore, led to the arrest of former food minister Jyotipriyo Mullick.

The Centre has also flagged 25 lakh fake MGNREGA job cards, prompting the withholding of funds until Aadhaar seeding exposed large-scale fraud.

Nepotism and Power Concentration

The BJP has repeatedly accused Mamata Banerjee of fostering dynastic politics, pointing to the meteoric rise of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, now TMC's national general secretary and widely seen as her political heir.

While Mamata Banerjee denies nepotism, opposition leaders argue that Abhishek's prominence coincides with multiple investigations involving his close associates and family members, particularly in the coal smuggling case. For critics, Bengal's governance has increasingly come to resemble a family-controlled political enterprise, rather than a democratic structure.

Syndicate Raj and the "Mafia Tax"

Perhaps the most visible face of Bengal's alleged anarchy is what locals call "Syndicate Raj"-a network of extortion rackets allegedly run by TMC-linked strongmen.

Builders, traders, small shop owners, and even restaurant owners are reportedly forced to pay cuts to operate. An India Today sting operation caught a TMC councillor's husband allegedly demanding ₹10 lakh to allow a restaurant to function in Bidhannagar.

In Rajarhat-Newtown, buyers have complained of forced payments for land and construction materials, with syndicate members openly claiming political backing. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has claimed that over 7,000 companies left West Bengal due to syndicate harassment, calling it a death blow to industrial investment.

Riots, Political Violence, and Police Inaction

Law and order has remained a persistent flashpoint. During the 2023 panchayat elections, widespread violence involving gunshots, arson, and booth capturing led to 48-55 deaths, one of the bloodiest electoral episodes in recent Indian history.

Communal clashes have since erupted across districts-Howrah (Ram Navami violence), Sandeshkhali protests, Murshidabad riots during Waqf Act protests, and South 24 Parganas temple-related clashes. Homes were torched, roads blocked, and families displaced. In several incidents, opposition parties accused the police of either remaining passive or acting selectively.

The Sandeshkhali episode, involving allegations of land grabbing and sexual exploitation by a local TMC leader, became a national issue after ED raids triggered violent protests.

Infiltration and Border Security Concerns

Illegal infiltration from Bangladesh has emerged as another contentious issue. According to official data, 1,104 infiltration attempts were detected along the India-Bangladesh border in 2025-the highest in nearly a decade. More than 2,550 Bangladeshi nationals were detained, with hotspots in Malda, Nadia, Murshidabad, and North 24 Parganas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have accused the TMC government of deliberately delaying border fencing and shielding infiltrators for vote-bank politics. These allegations gained traction amid voter list revisions and citizenship-related protests, particularly in border districts.

Blocking Central Welfare Schemes

The BJP also accuses the TMC of blocking or diluting Central welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, allegedly depriving lakhs of beneficiaries for political one-upmanship. According to the Centre, Bengal's refusal to implement key schemes reflects governance driven more by confrontation than public interest.

Summing up the BJP's campaign narrative, Prime Minister Modi recently echoed a slogan gaining traction in Bengal:"Banchte chai, BJP chai"-If we want to survive, we want the BJP.