Oppn allowing infiltration to increase vote bank, says Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday accused the Opposition of supporting infiltration for vote bank politics, whilst warning Bihar voters against allowing “jungle raj wearing a new mask’ to return to the state.

- HT Correspondent

Speaking at the Hindustan Bihar Samagam 2025 in Patna, Shah claimed infiltration had been stopped in BJP-ruled Assam but was continuing in West Bengal because the Mamata Banerjee government was giving a “red carpet welcome” to illegal immigrants.

“Is this because they have increased their vote bank by allowing infiltration?” Shah asked, defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls - a hot-button issue in Bihar, which is due for elections in less than three weeks. “Its baffling that the opposition has been getting a bellyache over an exercise launched by the Election Commission, which would weed out infiltrators.

The former BJP president urged voters to reelect the NDA under chief minister Nitish Kumar's leadership, warning against those who would bring back the lawlessness that plagued Bihar before the coalition took power 20 years ago.

“[ plead with the people not to trust those who would bring back jungle raj, wearing a new mask,” Shah said, presenting what he called a report card of two decades of NDA rule in state.

Defending the alliance’s continued use of the “jungle raj” rhetoric after 20 years in power, Shah said: “In 20 years, we have filled the ditches.”

He outlined a phased development strategy: the first decade focused on restoring law and order and basic infrastructure, the second on major infrastructure projects, and the next would tackle unemployment and make Bihar flood-free.