Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday strongly rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertions about illegal immigration and law and order in West Bengal, accusing him of “peddling lies” and distorting facts for political gain. The party’s state president, Joy Prakash Majumdar, argued that Modi’s claims regarding infiltrators and the state’s security situation were unsubstantiated and contradicted official data.

The controversy stems from Modi’s rally in Singur, Hooghly district, where the Prime Minister accused the TMC government of “playing with national security by aiding infiltrators” for vote-bank politics. He described the state’s administration as operating under a “maha jungle raj” and called for its end, stating that doing so was necessary to pave the way for development and good governance.

“The TMC is playing with national security. They are trying to protect infiltrators because they consider them their vote bank,” Modi asserted. He further emphasized the need to identify illegal immigrants living in West Bengal using forged documents and to repatriate them to their countries of origin.

TMC Response: Allegations “Unfounded”

Joy Prakash Majumdar, TMC state president, responded sharply to the Prime Minister’s remarks. Speaking to PTI, he argued that Modi’s repeated references to infiltrators, Bangladeshis, and Rohingyas lacked evidence and were misleading.

“For the past 11 years, Modiji has been repeating the same set of lies about infiltrators, Bangladeshis, and Rohingyas without explaining how he arrived at such conclusions,” Majumdar said. He contended that Modi failed to clarify whether border security was the responsibility of the central government or the West Bengal state government, a crucial point given that India’s borders are primarily a central government responsibility.

Majumdar further highlighted findings from the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which had detected 58 lakh unmapped voters. According to him, this figure did not support claims of widespread infiltration. “None of the omission of around 58 lakh names can be linked to the infiltration bogey. No Rohingya was found. The discrepancies occurred due to reasons such as death of voters, migration, and duplicate entries,” he said.

By this account, the TMC contends that Modi’s assertions regarding illegal immigrants were politically motivated rather than based on verified data. Majumdar said, “So their allegations of infiltrations fall flat.”

Challenging Law and Order Claims

The TMC also rejected Modi’s comments on law and order and crimes against women in West Bengal. Majumdar cited statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), arguing that states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan have far more serious issues regarding crime, particularly against women, than West Bengal.

He also questioned the Prime Minister’s broader handling of security issues in India, pointing to incidents in Manipur, Kashmir, and Delhi. “What was Modi doing when Manipur was in flames?” Majumdar asked, referring to the violent unrest in the northeastern state in 2025. “He must also answer why terror incidents in Kashmir and Delhi were not addressed effectively.”

Political Context and SIR Exercise

The controversy over infiltrators is closely linked to West Bengal’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision of voters’ lists, a process aimed at cleaning up the electoral rolls and removing discrepancies. Modi has repeatedly used this exercise to allege infiltration of illegal immigrants, suggesting that they are being protected by the TMC for electoral gains.

However, Majumdar and other TMC leaders argue that the process is being misrepresented. They assert that most discrepancies in the voters’ lists are administrative in nature and not related to illegal immigration. The TMC’s response underscores a larger debate about the role of voter verification, the political use of migration narratives, and the responsibilities of state versus central governments in maintaining border security.

Prime Minister’s Stand at Singur Rally

During his rally at Singur, Modi emphasized that the TMC government had failed to cooperate with the Centre on critical security measures, including border fencing. He portrayed the alleged protection of infiltrators as a direct threat to national security.

Addressing the crowd, Modi stated, “The TMC is playing with national security. They are trying to protect infiltrators because they consider them their vote bank.” He also stressed that illegal immigrants living in the state by forging documents must be identified and sent back to their countries. The Prime Minister framed the issue as one of both governance and national interest, linking it to his party’s broader narrative of “good governance” versus the alleged “jungle raj” under the TMC.

Opposition Perspective

From the TMC’s perspective, Modi’s remarks are not only inaccurate but politically charged, aiming to create a communal and polarizing narrative ahead of elections. Party leaders argue that the repeated focus on infiltration and alleged TMC complicity diverts attention from developmental issues and governance achievements in the state.

Majumdar emphasized that the SIR exercise had been conducted transparently and under the supervision of the Election Commission, with no evidence of widespread infiltration. He maintained that the discrepancies found were minor, administrative, or natural—arising from deaths, migration, or duplicate entries—and not the result of deliberate illegal migration.

Implications for West Bengal Politics

The exchange highlights the increasing politicization of migration and security issues in West Bengal, a state that has historically been sensitive to migration narratives due to its border with Bangladesh. By framing alleged infiltration as a matter of national security and electoral manipulation, the BJP aims to consolidate a political narrative ahead of upcoming elections.

For the TMC, the challenge is to counter these claims with data, highlighting administrative integrity, voter list transparency, and law and order statistics that reflect favorably on the state government. Majumdar’s statements and public rebuttals indicate that the TMC intends to present itself as a responsible administration capable of maintaining governance while disputing politically charged narratives.

National Security and Political Responsibility

The debate also raises questions about the division of responsibilities between the central and state governments. While border security and immigration control are central government responsibilities, state governments are often implicated in political narratives that link local governance to national security concerns. Majumdar’s response underscores this tension, emphasizing that the Prime Minister’s claims do not account for the constitutional division of powers or verified data.

Looking Ahead

As West Bengal moves closer to its next electoral cycle, the political discourse around infiltrators, law and order, and governance is likely to intensify. Modi’s narrative of “maha jungle raj” and alleged protection of infiltrators will be tested against TMC’s claims of administrative efficiency and adherence to electoral and legal processes.

Observers note that the issue of illegal immigration has long been a politically sensitive topic in West Bengal, with both parties leveraging the debate to mobilize support. While the BJP frames it as a matter of national security and electoral integrity, the TMC positions itself as a defender of verified administrative processes and communal harmony.

Conclusion

The clash of narratives between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and TMC state president Joy Prakash Majumdar underscores the contentious intersection of governance, electoral politics, and national security in West Bengal. Modi’s allegations of infiltration and law and order lapses seek to frame the TMC as a threat to national security, while the TMC counters with data and administrative records showing no such large-scale infiltration or governance failure.

The discourse reflects broader political strategies at play in India, where voter list revisions, border security, and crime statistics are increasingly used as tools for political messaging. With both sides asserting their version of reality, the debate over infiltrators, law and order, and governance is set to remain a key flashpoint in West Bengal’s political landscape in the coming months.