West Bengal Transport Minister Arjun Singh on Saturday, 14 November 2026, launched a sharp attack on Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Md. Salim in Kolkata, branding him 'anti-national' and demanding that he be expelled not just from West Bengal but from India altogether. The remarks have triggered a heated political exchange between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition CPI-M.

What the Minister Said

Minister Arjun Singh did not hold back in his condemnation of the CPI-M leader. 'Md. Salim is not an Indian. We will say, beware of Md. Salim. He is an anti-national. He should not only be expelled from Bengal, but also from the country. He does not think well of the country. He will talk about Pakistan from India,' Singh said.

Singh further alleged that Salim 'talks about extreme leftist, brainwashed Maoists,' and added, 'It is also wrong to discuss about anti-nationals.' He claimed Salim's own party has lost its footing, saying, 'His own party has become disreputable. There is no ground under his feet. There is no roof over his head. The party is floating in the air.'

CPI-M Fires Back

The CPI-M did not let the remarks go unanswered. Party leader Shatarup Ghosh issued a stinging counter, challenging Singh directly: 'If you have the power, throw him (Md. Salim) out of the country.' Ghosh also raised Singh's own political past, noting, 'Arjun Singh was thrown out by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) once, and now by the Trinamool Congress. He has now become a Minister. Sit in the Ministerial chair and speak with respect to the Opposition. You will get respect in return. If you say bad things, if you disrespect, you will be disrespected.'

TMC Spokesperson Weighs In

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Baiswanor Chattopadhyay added a broader political dimension to the controversy, suggesting the 'anti-national' label is routinely deployed as a political weapon. 'If you say anything against the BJP, you are branded as anti-national,' Chattopadhyay said, implying that Singh's attack was motivated by partisan interests rather than genuine national concern.

What Triggered the Attack

The row follows recent remarks by Md. Salim himself, in which he criticised the BJP government over what he described as a systematic dismantling of India's intellectual and cultural fabric. 'History is being replaced with gossip, science with pseudoscience, and myths with fictional stories. Religion and philosophy are being ravaged every day. When we protest, it is said that religion has been insulted. An attempt is being made to destroy India's culture and tradition. After the formation of the BJP government in West Bengal, we are being pushed further down the path of destruction,' Salim had said.

Notably, the exchange reflects the intensifying political competition in West Bengal, where the TMC, BJP, and Left Front are locked in a triangular contest ahead of future assembly polls. The 'anti-national' label — increasingly common in national political discourse — has become a flashpoint in state-level rivalries as well. How the CPI-M responds to this sustained pressure in the days ahead will be closely watched.