Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Locket Chatterjee on Sunday, 25 May defended the ongoing demolition drive against alleged unauthorised structures in Kolkata, calling the action unavoidable and framing it as a direct signal of the new BJP government's zero-tolerance stance on unlawful activity in West Bengal. The bulldozer action, concentrated in the Tiljala area, comes just 15 days after the BJP-led government assumed office in the state.

Why the Demolitions Were Carried Out

Chatterjee argued that dismantling unauthorised constructions in Tiljala was not merely an administrative exercise but a political statement. 'This was bound to happen. Before our government came into power, it was decided that all illegal activities and corruption in West Bengal would be eradicated,' she said. She added that the action would 'send a message to the people of the state that no illegal activity will be allowed in West Bengal.'

The drive targets structures that authorities allege were built without valid permissions during the previous administration. Critics, however, have questioned the speed and selectivity of the demolitions, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP of using state machinery for political purposes — a charge the party rejects.

Abhishek Banerjee Named, Legal Action Threatened

Chatterjee directly named All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee, alleging he too had engaged in illegal activity and would be served notice. 'Abhishek Banerjee has also done illegal work. He will definitely be served notice, and Sona Pappu, Raju Naskar, the people who have done illegal building construction — these people will also have to suffer,' she said. She insisted that constitutional equality demanded uniform application of the law, regardless of political status: 'He may be a representative, but if there is any illegal work, he will also be given notice. The same law will apply to everyone.'

Banerjee and the TMC are yet to formally respond to the specific allegations cited by Chatterjee.

Illegal Immigration and Shelter Home Directives

Broadening her remarks, Chatterjee addressed the issue of undocumented foreign nationals in the state, reiterating that the Union Home Ministry had repeatedly communicated that migrants without valid documents would not be permitted to remain in India. 'Many have left, but some still feel this is the era of Trinamool Congress and they can continue to stay without proper authentic documents. That will not happen under the BJP,' she said. West Bengal's position bordering Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan makes immigration a perennially sensitive issue in the state.

Congress Dismissed as Irrelevant in Bengal

Responding to remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against the Narendra Modi government, Chatterjee dismissed the party's standing in West Bengal. She pointed to the Congress's poor performance in recent state assembly elections, noting that in Falta, the party had finished in third place. 'One after another, people across India are blessing the BJP in every state,' she said. She further alleged that Congress had 'ruined the country for over 70 years' and lacked a coherent national vision, contrasting it with what she described as the BJP's efforts to 'align and strengthen the whole country.'

What Comes Next

The demolition drive is expected to continue, with BJP officials indicating that notices will be issued to further alleged violators. Whether the threatened legal action against Abhishek Banerjee and others materialises will be a key test of the new government's stated commitment to uniform enforcement. Opposition parties are likely to escalate their challenge — in courts and on the streets — as the BJP pushes its anti-encroachment agenda in a state it has only recently come to govern.