Modi in Siliguri: ‘Tukde-Tukde Gang’ Targeted Chicken’s Neck
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with BJP workers on a boat on Monday (Image Modi on X)
PM fires a national security broadside at Mamata Banerjee’s government, raises Messi stadium fiasco, madrasa spending and President Murmu’s alleged snub in West Bengal campaign blitz
By NIRENDRA DEV
Siliguri, April 13, 2026 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his sharpest aim yet at the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal during a high-voltage campaign sweep through north Bengal, making national security, infiltration and the strategic Siliguri Corridor the centrepiece of his electoral offensive ahead of the first phase of polling on April 23.
Speaking at Kawakhali ground in Siliguri, Modi alleged that a “tukde-tukde gang” had threatened to sever the Chicken’s Neck — the narrow Siliguri Corridor that connects mainland India to the entire Northeast. “The country has a ‘tukde-tukde’ gang, and it threatened to cut off the Siliguri Corridor,” he said, directly targeting the TMC. “They wanted to separate the Northeast from the country. TMC, which indulges in appeasement politics, supports such people from the streets to Parliament. That is the real face of TMC.”
The Siliguri Corridor — roughly 20 to 22 km wide at its narrowest point — borders Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and China, making it one of India’s most geopolitically sensitive strips of territory. Modi described it as “the nation’s corridor of defence as well as prosperity” and announced that the Centre is working on infrastructure projects in the region, including the Sevoke-Rangpo railway line that will link Sikkim with Siliguri. “The project will not only ensure rail connectivity between West Bengal and Sikkim, but it will also strengthen trade and tourism in the region, whose direct benefit can be reaped by the youth of Darjeeling,” he said.
Modi also raised the spectre of illegal infiltration. “It will be too late if the infiltration menace is not stopped right away,” he warned, deploying the slogan: “Kamal khilao, ghuspetia bhagao” — vote for the lotus and drive infiltrators away.
Madrasa Funds vs North Bengal: The Governance Attack
The PM levelled a pointed governance charge: “While the Mamata Banerjee government has allotted ₹6,000 crore for Madrasa development in its state budget, its fund allotment for the entire north Bengal region is nowhere sufficient.” He added that central schemes had been deliberately stalled under TMC’s watch. “Less than 25 per cent of work could be completed” under the scheme for providing piped drinking water to remote tribal areas, he said.
Messi, Football and the Syndicate
In a separate rally the previous day — channelling West Bengal’s passion for football — Modi referenced the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata during Lionel Messi’s December visit. “People across the world witnessed the shameful incident that happened in Kolkata. The leaders and ministers of the TMC have even handed over football to syndicates,” he said.
President Murmu’s Alleged Snub
Modi also raised the issue of President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the Siliguri subdivision last month, where Murmu — herself a member of the Santhal community — had alleged the Bengal government and Mamata Banerjee had resorted to non-cooperation to disrupt her visit to a Santhal Samaj conference. “The TMC did not uphold the dignity of the Indian Constitution and demeaned the stature of the tribal community. It has insulted the mothers and sisters of the tribal community,” Modi said at Kushmandi in South Dinajpur. In Bengal, 16 assembly seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes — the BJP won seven of them in 2021.
He is campaigning for BJP candidates in Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts — all going to polls on April 23.
FAQ
Q: What is the Siliguri Corridor and why is it strategically important?
A: The Siliguri Corridor — known as the Chicken’s Neck — is a narrow strip of land about 20 to 22 km wide that connects mainland India to the entire Northeast. It borders Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and China, making it one of India’s most critical strategic territories.
Q: What did Modi allege about the TMC and the Siliguri Corridor?
A: Modi alleged that a “tukde-tukde gang” had threatened to cut off the Siliguri Corridor, and that the TMC — through appeasement politics — supports such elements “from the streets to Parliament.”
Q: What is the Sevoke-Rangpo railway line Modi mentioned?
A: The Sevoke-Rangpo railway line is a central government infrastructure project that will connect Sikkim with Siliguri, strengthening rail connectivity, trade and tourism between Bengal and Sikkim.
Q: Why did Modi raise President Murmu’s visit to Bengal?
A: President Droupadi Murmu had alleged that the Bengal government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee resorted to non-cooperation during her visit to a Santhal Samaj conference in Siliguri. Modi used this to accuse TMC of insulting the tribal community and the dignity of the Constitution.
Q: When does Bengal vote in the 2026 assembly elections?
A: The first phase of West Bengal assembly elections is scheduled for April 23, 2026, covering districts including Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong — the areas where Modi was campaigning.
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