Chaturvedi Challenges BJP’s Claims on Illegal Immigrants During UPA Era
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, March 30 (NationPress) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, launched a strong critique against Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, questioning his recent claims about rampant infiltration in West Bengal and challenging the BJP’s narrative regarding "ghuspaithiyas (illegal immigrants)".
In an interview with IANS, Chaturvedi remarked, “It’s important to remind Amit Shah that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been in power at the center since 2014. If we analyze the statistics, we find that the deportations of Bangladeshi nationals were significantly higher during the UPA’s time compared to the NDA era.”
“The reality is that the BJP uses the term 'ghuspaithiya' to gain a political upper hand. They seem to think that by focusing on the illegal immigrant narrative, they can stir sensationalism. It’s the duty of the Home Minister to secure borders and prevent unauthorized entries into the country,” she added.
Chaturvedi’s remarks were made in response to a political “chargesheet” presented by Amit Shah in Kolkata, where he claimed that West Bengal has become a “haven for ghuspaithiyas” under the governance of the Trinamool Congress. Shah accused the party of permitting infiltration for “votebank politics” and asserted that the BJP would “identify and remove every illegal immigrant from the voter lists” as the Assembly elections loom.
On the opposition front, Ashutosh Verma, spokesperson for the Samajwadi Party, commented, “The eagerness of the Bharatiya Janata Party to win the elections in Bengal shows their willingness to employ all sorts of tactics—coercion, inducement, punishment, and even gifts. However, they seem to overlook that in a democracy, the actual authority rests with the people.”
As the Assembly elections draw near, the discourse surrounding illegal immigrants and voter lists is expected to intensify in the state.
This ongoing narrative highlights the charged political climate in West Bengal, where parties increasingly leverage national security and migration discussions to resonate with voters, while opposition leaders caution against sensationalism and the political exploitation of such issues.