The Hindu reports: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (May 8, 2026) said the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal Assembly election was not only significant from electoral and ideological points of view, but from the aspect of national security as well. The victory plugs “one of the biggest holes” in national security, he said.“We now have governments in Assam, Tripura and Bengal. Infiltration and cattle-smuggling will become impossible.
The Central and State governments will work together to turn the border into an ‘impenetrable fortress’ for national security,” Mr. Shah said, addressing newly elected legislators of the BJP in Kolkata.West Bengal government formation LIVE - May 8, 2026The BJP leadership had highlighted illegal infiltration from Bangladesh as a major issue in the Assembly election. India shares a 4,096-km border with Bangladesh, of which more than half -- 2,216 km -- lies in West Bengal, while Tripura shares an 856-km border and Assam a 267-km border with the country.During his address, the Home Minister, who presided over the BJP Legislature Party meeting, emphasised that the victory was not only about the BJP’s expansion and about the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance forming a government in its 21st State.
Background
“The BJP promises the people of Bengal and the country that we will identify and remove every infiltrator from India. And let me say from this stage -- people who call this polarisation are mistaken. This is not about polarisation.
Key facts
- The victory plugs “one of the biggest holes” in national security, he said.“We now have governments in Assam, Tripura and Bengal.
- Infiltration and cattle-smuggling will become impossible.
- The Central and State governments will work together to turn the border into an ‘impenetrable fortress’ for national security,” Mr.
What this means
This is about national security,” Mr. Shah said.“The biggest importance of this victory is that it plugs one of the biggest holes in India’s national security. Now, infiltration and cow-smuggling will become impossible in West Bengal,” Mr.
Shah asserted.The Home Minister, who led the party’s election campaign in West Bengal along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also spoke about the ideological significance of the victory.“The victory in West Bengal is significant because after 100 years of ideological continuity, we have a government from every State from Gangotri to Gangasagar. I feel that Shyama Prasad Mukherjee would bless the Narendra Modi government from where he is now,” he said.Mookerjee, founder of the Jana Sangh, the ideological precursor of the BJP, hailed from West Bengal. “The ideological journey that began in 1950 under the leadership of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee has, in 2026, finally brought his party to power in his own birthplace.
Originally reported by The Hindu. This story has been edited and re-presented by BRIC Team.
