Amit Shah in Kolkata: UCC in 6 Months and Bengal White Papers
BJP leader Ami Shah releases party manifesto in Kolkata on Friday (mage BJP on X)
Home Minister unveils BJP’s West Bengal election blueprint — pledging uniform civil code, a Supreme Court-led violence commission, and zero tolerance on infiltration
By NIRENDRA DEV
Kolkata, April 10, 2026 — Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Kolkata on Friday with an unambiguous message: the BJP is prepared for a long fight in West Bengal, and it is not coming to the table on its own terms alone.
Speaking at what is being widely read as the formal launch of BJP’s election campaign for the state, Shah laid out a sweeping set of commitments — from the Uniform Civil Code to a judicial commission on political violence — while drawing a hard line on potential alliances.
The UCC pledge
Shah announced that a BJP government in West Bengal would implement the Uniform Civil Code within six months of coming to power. “Several BJP-ruled states have implemented the Uniform Civil Code,” he said. “Within six months, we will implement the UCC in Bengal and ensure that a single, uniform set of laws applies to all citizens across the state.” The commitment mirrors UCC rollouts in BJP-governed states and positions the party to make it a defining electoral issue in a state where the Muslim population represents a significant vote bank that the Trinamool Congress has long cultivated.
“20 years in opposition” — the Humayun Kabir line
The sharpest rhetoric of the day came in response to a viral video involving Humayun Kabir, founder of the All India United Party (AJUP). Shah was unequivocal about any prospect of political accommodation. “Humayun Kabir and the BJP are like the South Pole and the North Pole — we can never align,” he said. “We would rather sit in the opposition for another 20 years than sit alongside those who build the Babri Masjid in Bengal.”
Kabir, for his part, pushed back on the controversy, noting that the video in question dated from December 19 and was only being circulated on April 8 — and questioned why Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had not addressed it sooner. He also alleged that Banerjee shares a working relationship with the BJP and the RSS, claiming the two were acting in concert against him. On AIMIM withdrawing its alliance with his party, Kabir declined to comment.
Three White Papers and a judicial commission
On governance and law and order, Shah announced that a BJP government would introduce three White Papers — addressing corruption, political violence, and the restoration of law and order in the state. A commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge would be constituted to investigate all instances of political violence, regardless of which party was targeted. “Every case will be brought to its logical conclusion,” Shah said.
On the Malda violence incident, Shah noted that both the Supreme Court and the Election Commission had taken cognisance of the situation and moved to ensure that elections proceed without fear.
Economic commitments and welfare delivery
Shah also outlined a dense set of welfare pledges. A BJP government, he said, would transfer ₹3,000 directly into the bank account of every mother between the 1st and 5th of each month. Dearness Allowance would be secured for all government employees and pensioners, and the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission implemented within 45 days. All central schemes currently blocked from West Bengal — including Ayushman Bharat, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, PM KUSUM Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana 3.0, and Khelo India — would be activated immediately.
On border security, Shah pledged that not a single infiltrator would be allowed through Bengal’s borders, and that cow smuggling out of India through the state would be stopped entirely.
“This manifesto is a path to bring every section of Bengal out of despair,” Shah said in closing. “The people are frightened and disillusioned. The people want change from the heart.”
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