Amit Shah calls Bengal BJP swearing-in historic at Yediyurappa event
Synopsis
Home Minister Amit Shah used a Karnataka felicitation event for B.S. Yediyurappa to frame the BJP's West Bengal government swearing-in as an ideological milestone — invoking Vivekananda, Aurobindo, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee to underscore the party's claim on Bengal's cultural legacy.
Key Takeaways
Amit Shah called the West Bengal BJP swearing-in a historic day for the party's ideology followers.
Shah was speaking at the 'Abhimanotsava' event in Chitradurga, Karnataka , felicitating B.S.
Yediyurappa for 50 years in public life.
Shah invoked Sri Aurobindo , Swami Vivekananda , Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa , and Syama Prasad Mookerjee to highlight Bengal's ideological significance to the BJP.
Shah praised Yediyurappa's discipline, humility, and role in placing Bengaluru on the global map.
Shah assured that a promised memorial in Chitradurga would be built under Prime Minister Narendra Modi , despite the Congress forming the state government.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday declared the day historically significant for followers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s ideology, marking the swearing-in of a BJP government in West Bengal as a landmark moment. Shah made the remarks while addressing the 'Abhimanotsava' event in Chitradurga, central Karnataka, organised to felicitate former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on completing 50 years in public life.
Shah's Remarks on West Bengal
Noting the coincidence of the felicitation event and the West Bengal swearing-in falling on the same day, Shah said the saffron flag had now been hoisted in the land of luminaries such as Sri Aurobindo, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
Point of View
Aurobindo, and Syama Prasad Mookerjee is a well-worn BJP framing designed to present Bengal not as a political prize but as a cultural homecoming. What is notable is the timing: using a Karnataka event to amplify a Bengal narrative signals how central West Bengal remains to the BJP's national identity project. The Chitradurga memorial promise — deferred to Modi despite the Congress holding state power — also reveals the Centre's willingness to bypass state governments on symbolic infrastructure, a pattern worth watching.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Amit Shah call the West Bengal swearing-in a historic day?
Amit Shah called it historic because a BJP government was being sworn in for the first time in West Bengal, a state he described as the birthplace of ideological icons like Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo. He framed it as a significant moment for followers of the BJP's ideology.
Where was Amit Shah speaking when he made these remarks?
Shah was addressing the 'Abhimanotsava' event in Chitradurga, central Karnataka, organised to honour former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on completing 50 years in public life. The Bengal swearing-in happened to fall on the same day as the felicitation.
What did Amit Shah say about B.S. Yediyurappa?
Shah praised Yediyurappa for his humility, discipline, and decades of public service, crediting him with helping place Bengaluru on the global map and maintaining communal harmony in Karnataka. He also shared that Yediyurappa keeps a pocket diary noting the names and issues of people he meets.
What is the Chitradurga memorial controversy Shah referred to?
Shah acknowledged that a memorial had been promised during election campaigning in Chitradurga but could not be built because the Congress subsequently formed the Karnataka government. He assured the audience that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would ensure the memorial is built.
Who are the historical figures Shah mentioned in connection with Chitradurga?
Shah paid tribute to Madakari Nayaka, who reportedly defeated Hyder Ali and protected the region's independence, and to Onake Obavva, whose courage in fighting Hyder Ali's soldiers he said continues to inspire women across India.
