Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday accused the Opposition of supporting infiltration for vote bank politics, whilst warning Bihar voters against allowing “jungle raj wearing a new mask” to return to the state.
Speaking at the Hindustan Bihar Samagam 2025 in Patna, Shah claimed infiltration had been stopped in BJP-ruled Assam but was continuing in West Bengal because the Mamata Banerjee government was giving a “red carpet welcome” to illegal immigrants.
“Is this because they have increased their vote bank by allowing infiltration?” Shah asked, defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls – a hot-button issue in Bihar, which is due for elections in less than three weeks. “It is baffling that the opposition has been getting a bellyache over an exercise launched by the Election Commission, which would weed out infiltrators.”
The former BJP president urged voters to re-elect the NDA under chief minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership, warning against those who would bring back the lawlessness that plagued Bihar before the coalition took power 20 years ago.
“I plead with the people not to trust those who would bring back jungle raj, wearing a new mask,” Shah said, presenting what he called a report card of two decades of NDA rule in the state.
{{/usCountry}}“I plead with the people not to trust those who would bring back jungle raj, wearing a new mask,” Shah said, presenting what he called a report card of two decades of NDA rule in the state.
{{/usCountry}}Defending the alliance’s continued use of the “jungle raj” rhetoric after 20 years in power, Shah said: “In 20 years, we have filled the ditches.” He outlined a phased development strategy: the first decade focused on restoring law and order and basic infrastructure, the second on major infrastructure projects, and the next would tackle unemployment and make Bihar flood-free.
“Modi ji at the Centre, Nitish ji in Bihar — this partnership has delivered 20 years of development, and NDA will take it forward,” he said, claiming Bihar had reached a “take-off stage” for development.
When pressed on why infiltration continued despite 11 years of Modi government at the Centre, Shah argued that border management was complex due to dense forests and mighty rivers along the Bangladesh frontier.
“My point is, when a person from the neighbouring country enters our territory, can it not be known to the local police station and the patwari? Why do these officials not raise an alarm? Because they are under orders from above to give a red carpet welcome to these infiltrators,” he said, specifically targeting the West Bengal government, and attacking detractors who, he said, were detached from reality while sitting in Lutyens Delhi.
Shah promised to “drive out every infiltrator” from West Bengal if the BJP came to power in next year’s assembly polls.
The home minister also dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “vote chori” allegations, claiming Gandhi had abandoned the charge after poor reception in Bihar. “Perhaps the people of Bihar have made him give up on the charge. He must have been under advice based on some feedback,” Shah said, referring to Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra two months ago.
Shah enumerated the NDA’s achievements in Bihar, including ₹3.5 lakh crore spent on roads, establishment of four power plants making the state self-sufficient in electricity, 20 operational Vande Bharat Express trains, and airports in Purnia, Darbhanga and Patna.
He also listed welfare measures benefiting Bihar’s population: 85.2 million people receiving 5kg of free foodgrains monthly, 8.7 million farmers under Kisan Samman Nidhi, 5.2 million beneficiaries of crop insurance, over 350,000 receiving free medical treatment under Ayushman Bharat, 15.7 million women getting gas cylinders under Ujjwala scheme, and 4.4 million homeless people receiving new houses.
Dismissing Opposition charges about pre-election freebies, Shah said: “The opposition says so because it is worried for itself. They do not know who is going to lead them and which party wants to field whom from which seat.”
Playing down seat-sharing tensions within the NDA, he said: “There is no dispute within the NDA. We are a political party, and everyone has their own demands. But once the seats are decided, everyone starts working together.”
Shah also defended the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which mandates removal of ministers who spend 30 days or more in jail, denying it targeted non-BJP state governments. He recalled stepping down when a case was pending against him, adding: “We have seen, in the recent past, governments being run by people behind bars. That cannot be allowed.”
When asked about Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, which has levelled charges against several BJP leaders, Shah remained dismissive: “He has floated a new party which is contesting elections for the first time. We shall talk about him once the votes are counted and results are declared.”
Reacting to Amit Shah’s speech, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in Patna, “He doesn’t say what he should. Tell us the condition of the entire country. There is an unemployment crisis in the country. If PM Modi is so capable, why can’t we trust his words? He had said that ₹2 crore jobs would be given every year”