‘Infiltration, violence, obstructed Central schemes': Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav slams Bengal government ahead of 2026 Assembly elections

Indian Express

2 days ago

Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, addressing a press conference in a Kolkata hotel, launched a scathing attack on the West Bengal government, accusing it of perpetuating 'unchecked infiltration, pervasive violence, and obstruction of Central welfare schemes'.
With the 2026 Assembly elections in mind, Yadav said a 'befitting reply' would come from the people of Bengal in a BJP victory.
The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change was part of the press conference in Kolkata on the completion of 11 years of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government.
He claimed that the Bengal government is responsible for 'helping infiltrators settle in the state' and 'opposing the Centre's steps to stop infiltration', while urging it to help Central forces identify and deport 'illegal' foreign nationals. 'The biggest impact of infiltration falls on the law and order of a state,' he said.
Upon being asked about their strategies to tackle post-poll violence in the state, Yadav dismissed the idea that it was confined to the post-election period. 'It happens in Bengal throughout,' he stated, invoking incidents in Murshidabad and Sandeshkhali. 'The biggest sadness is violence has become part of Bengal,' he said, questioning the state's ability to function amidst 'community-based violence' fueled by 'appeasement' politics.
'It is sad that people under their own government are forced to flee their homes,' said Yadav. 'By talking about post-poll violence, we would restrict violence to two months, whereas on the ground, it is happening round the clock. People of Bengal are not ready to forgive this government. We are fighting post-poll violence democratically.'
Yadav also criticised the state government's 'resistance' to Central schemes, claiming it opposed the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Yojana. He said, 'A large section of OBC workers are here; what is her scientific logic behind including and excluding people?'
'The Sandeshkhali and Murshidabad incidents are the poster of Mamata Banerjee's bad governance… while the Centre has proved that India will not tolerate terrorism…I don't take it in a good way that they are talking ill of Operation Sindoor. On Operation Sindoor, all political parties have been a representative of an international delegation,' Yadav said.
Yadav alleged that 'not a single month passes without reports of attacks on women' in Bengal, claiming that the state did not take action during the violence in Murshidabad, which broke out on April 8. 'Instead, the responsibility of maintaining peace and security in the state was left to the Centre,' he claimed.
Regarding the deployment of forces during the elections, he stated, 'The Election Commission is discussing it with all political parties and it will decide on the deployment of the forces.'
Meanwhile, on the subject of climate action, Yadav highlighted Central initiatives. 'There is a beautiful name of a plan which is Project Mishti' he said, also mentioning 'Mission Life,' which focuses on seven key areas: saving water, saving food, saving energy, solid waste management, e-waste disposal, and a complete ban on single-use plastic. He stressed the importance of 'individual responsibility', stating, 'People must think about it.'
Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics.
With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences.
Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More