West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has issued a strong warning over alleged illegal infiltration along the India-Bangladesh border, urging security forces to strengthen surveillance and coordination. During his visit to a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Hingalganj on Sunday, the Chief Minister claimed that infiltrators were waiting for opportunities to cross into Indian territory whenever security personnel moved out of sight.
Adhikari spent most of Sunday with BSF personnel at the 74th Battalion camp in Hingalganj, located along the India-Bangladesh border. The visit came as part of the Diwali outreach programme, during which he interacted with security personnel guarding the country's borders.
After arriving at a temporary helipad at Hingalganj College, the Chief Minister travelled to the BSF camp and later took a speedboat ride along the Ichhamati River to inspect the border area. He also visited Hingalganj police station and inaugurated its Kali Puja celebrations.
During his interaction with security personnel and administrative officials, Adhikari stressed the importance of close coordination between the BSF and West Bengal Police. He said the state would adopt a strict approach towards illegal infiltration and that border security would be strengthened.
Describing his inspection of the border, the Chief Minister said he had personally used binoculars from a floating outpost to observe the situation across the river.
"I used binoculars to scan the area, and there is nothing on the Bangladesh side. They are lying in wait, watching for the BSF to be momentarily out of sight so they can slip across," he said.
Adhikari further claimed that the BSF and police had already driven out several hundred thousand infiltrators. He assured security personnel that the government would not allow illegal infiltrators to remain in the state.
He also revealed that a search operation was underway along a 15-kilometre stretch of the border to identify suspected infiltrators. According to him, the authorities had access to specific figures relating to the operation.
However, his remarks triggered a political response from the opposition Trinamool Congress. Party leader Kunal Ghosh questioned the state government's attempt to place responsibility for infiltration primarily on West Bengal.
Ghosh pointed out that the BSF operates under the Union Home Ministry and that decisions regarding border fencing and security infrastructure fall under the Central Government's jurisdiction.
He also questioned how illegal infiltration and the entry of Rohingya people could occur in Tripura, which is governed by the BJP. He argued that the issue should not be treated as the responsibility of West Bengal alone.
Ghosh added that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had always maintained respect for BSF personnel.
The exchange has once again brought border security and illegal infiltration into the centre of political debate in West Bengal.
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