Amit Shah says Bengal handed over 1,129 acres for border fencing within 45 days of new BJP govt

Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday in West Bengal’s Siliguri that the borders must be completely secured and barbed fencing completed to stop infiltration. He said the West Bengal government had handed over 1,100 acres of land for fencing within 45 days of coming to power, with “promptness” and now he will get the remaining 29 acres.

“Border fencing in the state, long pending since 2014, during previous Trinamool Congress regime as former CM Mamata Banerjee did not hand over land to the BSF,” Shah said while speaking at a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Frontier Headquarters programme in West Bengal’s Siliguri.

“Within 45 days of the formation of the new government, 1,129 acres of land, which we were asking for since 2014 from the previous government and did not receive, the West Bengal Chief Minister gave us 1,100 acres of land for BSF and SSB,” Shah said, adding, “Today, I thought let’s ask for the rest 29 acres. When Suvendu ji came for breakfast, I thought, let's me do the work and as we sat, the Bengal CM said, "Send the money for 29 acres, the order will be issued on the very next day," Shah said.


“This promptness is not because Suvendu Adhikari is Chief Minister from a BJP ruled state. We have had hours of discussions on the problems of West Bengal. He knows that unless infiltration is stopped, neither West Bengal nor India’s security and safety will be ensured,” Shah said.

“We have folded our hands before Mamata Banerjee and got tired, but she did not give us land for fencing. Once I had reached her office and told her: "Mamata ji, the land is not to be given to the Bharatiya Janata Party, but to be given to the BSF, please give it. She said yes but did not give it,” Shah said.

Thanking the people of Bengal for choosing a government that “gives priority to national security”, Shah said how he had reached out to former CM Mamata Banerjee for land with folded hands. “We have folded our hands before Mamata Banerjee and got tired asking for land for the fencing.”

Shah laid foundation stones of various projects. “In total, 189 crore new projects for the administrative and residential facilities of SSB jawans have started here today. The administrative headquarters of SSB Siliguri will be established in 80 acres. Foundation stone was laid for the 19th Battalion Thakurganj, 12th Battalion Kishanganj and New Jalpaiguri out-post camp has also been laid today.”

Slamming the previous CM Mamata Banerjee, who never participated in SSB programmes, Shah said, “West Bengal CM Suvenduji said that for the first time the Chief Minister of Bengal got the opportunity to come to the SSB program. I want to make a correction. We used to invite the former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but she does not want to come to the SSB program. We invited you and you have come.”

“Whether it is SSB or BSF, it is not any political party or any one government's agency. It is a force that protects the borders of the country day and night through hard work, irrespective of party policy, irrespective of party government. All political parties, whether in Bengal or the government at the Centre, should keep a good relationship with the jawans,” he added.