Bageshwar Dham seer Dhirendra Krishna Shastri used his ongoing Hanumant Katha programme in West Bengal to make remarks on Hindutva, religious conversion, infiltration and nationalism, saying that those who had earlier claimed he would not be allowed to enter the state were now seeing him conduct a religious event there.

Speaking at the programme in Howrah, Shastri said, “Ab Babar wale nahi, Raghuvar wale baithe hain”, referring to the political change he said had taken place in the state. The remarks came during the first edition of his Hanumant Katha in West Bengal, being held from September 4 to 6 at Liluah Workshop Ground. 

Shastri Speaks on Bengal Visit

Shastri said his presence in West Bengal was significant because, according to him, there had previously been claims that he would not be allowed to enter the state.

He pointed to the ongoing religious programme as evidence that he was now able to hold the event in Bengal, where large numbers of devotees have been attending the three-day gathering.

The event has attracted political attention as well as religious interest, particularly after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the programme and met Shastri on its opening day.

Calls for Larger Gita Recitation

During his address, Shastri also spoke about collective recitation of the Bhagavad Gita in West Bengal.

He referred to an earlier event in which around five lakh people participated in Gita recitation and said the number should eventually be increased to 11 lakh participants.

He called for greater visibility of Sanatan cultural traditions and the chanting of Lord Ram’s name in Bengal.

Remarks on Border Areas

Shastri said he wanted to conduct Hanumant Katha programmes in areas close to West Bengal’s international borders.

While discussing these regions, he raised the issues of alleged religious conversions and infiltration and called for national security interests to be given priority.

He also said that social change should not be viewed only through the lens of a change in political power, but should include what he described as changes in people's ideological and religious outlook.

These were Shastri's views expressed during the religious programme and should not be treated as official findings about conversion or illegal immigration.

Says His Fight Is Not Against Any Religion

Addressing the controversy surrounding his statements, Shastri said his criticism was not directed against any particular religion.

He said his concern was with people who, according to him, live in India but express views he considers hostile to the country.

He appealed to Hindus in Bengal to remain aware and organised and spoke about protecting the cultural significance associated with Lord Ram and Goddess Kali.

Appeals for Action on Conversion

Shastri also appealed to the state government to pay attention to cases of religious conversion.

He said people who wished to return to their original cultural or religious traditions should have an easier path to what he described as “ghar wapsi”.

The remarks form part of Shastri's broader public messaging around Hindutva and cultural identity. The legal and factual status of any individual conversion cases was not established by the statements made at the event.

Suvendu Adhikari Attends Programme

The presence of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the event added a political dimension to the religious gathering.

According to reports, Adhikari met Shastri on the stage during the programme. The chief minister spoke about the government's role in protecting West Bengal and Indian culture during the interaction.

The event is being held in Liluah, Howrah, from September 4 to September 6, with Shastri delivering the Hanumant Katha and conducting associated religious programmes. 

Religious Event Draws Political Attention

Shastri's first Hanumant Katha in West Bengal has consequently become more than a religious gathering, with his comments on culture, nationalism, conversion and border security attracting political attention.

His remarks about being previously prevented from entering Bengal also reflect the political sensitivity surrounding his visit.

With the programme continuing through September 6, further statements from the religious leader and political responses to them are likely to remain a focus of discussion in West Bengal.

The West Bengal government has announced that all pending applications under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be processed within the next six months, with the state administration asserting that the law is intended to grant citizenship rather than revoke it.

Speaking at a citizenship certificate distribution programme in New Town on Saturday, Suvendu Adhikari said the implementation of the CAA had formally begun in the state and that eligible applicants would receive citizenship after completion of the prescribed process.

Around 300 members of the Matua community from North 24 Parganas were handed citizenship certificates during the event.

'CAA Grants Citizenship, Does Not Take It Away'

Addressing beneficiaries, the Chief Minister said the Citizenship Amendment Act was enacted to provide Indian citizenship to eligible refugees and should not be viewed as a law that strips existing citizens of their nationality.

He also alleged that the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government had created confusion regarding the legislation for political reasons.

Over 2.3 Lakh Applications Received

According to the Chief Minister, 2,30,605 applications have been received under the Citizenship Amendment Act across West Bengal.

He said 23,956 citizenship certificates have been issued so far, including 5,966 certificates distributed during the past 11 weeks.

District-wise, Nadia has recorded the highest number of beneficiaries, with 10,191 certificates issued, followed by North 24 Parganas, where 8,930 applicants have received citizenship documents.

State Begins CAA Implementation Process

The Chief Minister said the state has initiated the legal process for implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act and assured eligible applicants that they would receive protection under the law.

He stated that people belonging to communities covered under the Act who entered India before the prescribed cut-off date would be eligible to apply for citizenship through the online application process.

Border Security Measures Announced

The Chief Minister also announced that the state government had handed over 27 kilometres of land along the India-Bangladesh border to the Border Security Force (BSF) for fencing and security infrastructure.

He said the remaining land transfer process would be completed within two weeks and assured that additional land required for border security would also be made available whenever necessary.

What the Citizenship Amendment Act Provides

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for members of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistanafter facing religious persecution and entered the country before the notified cut-off date under the Act.

Eligible applicants are required to submit their applications online. Under the Act, the minimum residency requirement for eligible refugees has been reduced from 11 years to five years.

The implementation of the CAA has remained a politically significant issue in West Bengal, where refugee communities, particularly the Matua community, constitute an important voter base.

The roughly hour-long meeting took place at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Monday. Neither side issued an official statement on what was discussed. Bandyopadhyay is among the 20 MPs who left Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress a few weeks after the West Bengal Assembly elections to join the newly formed Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) — a move that has kept questions swirling ever since about the party's future direction and political alignment.

According to sources, Adhikari had originally planned to travel to Delhi himself to meet the 20 rebel MPs, but cancelled the trip at the last minute, instead informing some senior NCPI MPs over the phone that he wouldn't be coming. A senior NCPI MP said the proposed meeting between the Chief Minister and the party's MPs has been postponed for now, though all the party's MPs will still attend the scheduled NDA meeting as planned.

The Nabanna meeting has intensified talk that the newly formed NCPI could be moving closer to the BJP-led coalition at the Centre. The party had already signalled a similar direction on July 19, when its MPs attended an all-party meeting convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session — read at the time as an early indication of growing coordination with the ruling alliance.

Since breaking away from TMC, Bandyopadhyay and the other 19 rebel MPs have met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary group, and have also expressed a wish to sit alongside NDA's allied parties in the Lok Sabha. If the Speaker grants recognition to NCPI along with all 20 MPs, the party could become one of the NDA's largest allied groups in the Lok Sabha.

With NCPI's MPs set to attend Tuesday's NDA meeting regardless of the postponed Adhikari sit-down, the coming days are likely to bring further clarity on just how close the two sides are actually moving — and what that could mean for the balance of power both in Parliament and within West Bengal's fractured political landscape.

The veteran Trinamool Congress leader — once described by Banerjee herself as the party's "most colourful personality" — remains one of the few prominent former ministers and sitting MLAs who have publicly reaffirmed loyalty to Banerjee and her nephew, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, as the party's internal crisis has deepened over the past several weeks.

The rift traces back to the TMC's defeat to the BJP in West Bengal's May 2026 Assembly elections, which cost Banerjee both the chief ministership and, subsequently, control over large parts of her own party. A rebel faction led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, the sitting Leader of the Opposition, has since moved aggressively to establish what it calls the "real" Trinamool Congress — taking physical control of the party's Kolkata headquarters, Trinamool Bhavan, on July 3, a day after meeting Election Commission officials in Delhi to stake claim to the party's name and symbol. The rebel camp claims the backing of at least 58 of the party's 80 MLAs.

Mitra pushed back hard against the takeover from the start, arguing the rebel MLAs had no constitutional authority to restructure the party, since Banerjee remains its chairperson under the TMC's own constitution. His position has held even as the list of defectors has grown to include nearly every senior figure from Banerjee's 2011-2026 cabinet — Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Javed Khan, Jyotipriya Mallick and Arup Roy among them, with former West Bengal TMC president Chandrima Bhattacharya the most recent to cross over, resigning all her party posts on July 5 after Banerjee questioned her loyalty. Two other former ministers, Bratya Basu and Shashi Panja, have stayed publicly silent, neither reaffirming loyalty to Banerjee nor joining the rebels.

Banerjee has responded by consolidating what remains of her camp directly. On July 4, she announced she would personally take over as West Bengal TMC president — a post left vacant after Bhattacharya's exit — and inducted Mitra along with Kunal Ghosh as General Secretaries of the state committee. The rebel faction, for its part, has continued building out a parallel structure, naming former minister Biplab Mitra as its state president, Javed Khan as working president, and expanding to 17 district-level presidents earlier this week, including former Birbhum strongman Anubrata Mondal. Ritabrata has said the faction wants Banerjee to remain associated with the party as a mentor, while separately claiming that MLAs voted to remove her as chairperson altogether — a claim Mitra has rejected as procedurally impossible.

The standoff now sits partly in legal limbo. A petition challenging the Assembly Speaker's recognition of Ritabrata as Leader of the Opposition was denied interim relief, and analysts following the dispute suggest the fight over which faction legally controls the TMC's name, symbol and headquarters will likely need to be settled in court rather than through further organisational announcements from either side.

With July 21 — the date of TMC's traditional Martyrs' Day rally — approaching, both camps are widely expected to use the occasion as their next major show of strength.

The Gouripur Jame Masjid — also known as Bankra Masjid or Bakra Masjid — is a 136-year-old mosque that predates Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport itself. As the airport expanded over the decades, the mosque ended up sitting inside the security zone near the secondary runway, close enough to the flight path that the touchdown point has reportedly been shifted 88 metres south for safety, reducing the runway's usable length to around 2,832 metres — enough only for smaller aircraft like the A320 or Boeing 737.

Entry passes for devotees, previously issued after Aadhaar verification, were suspended over the weekend, with authorities initially citing rain damage to the access road and security concerns flagged by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. Mosque committee president and former West Bengal minister Maulana Siddiqullah Chowdhury — who is also associated with Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind in the state — objected strongly, saying the gates were shut without prior notice and with CISF assistance, and has written to the airport director seeking clarity on when prayers can resume.

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar addressed the issue directly this week, saying the mosque near the runway will be relocated and accusing previous state governments of avoiding the issue for years due to what he called appeasement politics. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari went further, arguing that national security concerns override other considerations, and suggested Chowdhury's objections had been comparatively restrained only because he was now dealing with a different state government than before.

The dispute isn't new. Airport officials say every past attempt by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to relocate the mosque was blocked for political reasons under previous state governments, going back through the tenures of Jyoti Basu, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Mamata Banerjee. At a meeting earlier this year with the North 24 Parganas District Magistrate's office, airport officials presented maps outlining the technical and safety challenges posed by the mosque's location, to which the mosque committee responded that it lacked the authority to make a decision of that scale on its own and asked officials to approach the state's larger Muslim organisations instead.

BJP MLA Sourav Sikdar, whose constituency includes the airport, said the mosque committee currently isn't willing to relocate, but that authorities have offered an alternative arrangement if they agree to shift.

Whether Tuesday's suspension of entry passes turns into a lasting resolution, or becomes another chapter in a dispute that has already outlasted three chief ministers, remains unclear. Both the mosque committee and state and central authorities appear to be waiting on each other for the next move.

The West Bengal government on Thursday announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening women's safety and tackling cybercrime, including the launch of the 'Durga Squad', Women's Help Desks in every police station and dedicated Cyber Crime Help Desks across the state.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, while unveiling the new initiatives from Nabanna, said the government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and directed police to take prompt action on every complaint without any interference.

The Chief Minister said police personnel have been given complete operational freedom to register First Information Reports (FIRs), conduct investigations and proceed against offenders in accordance with the law. He stressed that no complaint related to women's safety should be ignored or suppressed.

As part of the initiative, Women's Help Desks will be established in every police station to provide easier access and support for women seeking assistance. The government said the move is intended to improve complaint registration, counselling and immediate police response.

To enhance security in public places, the state has also launched the 'Durga Squad', a dedicated women-led patrol unit. A total of 213 uniformed personnel riding Royal Enfield Bullet 350 motorcycles will patrol cities and towns across West Bengal, responding quickly to incidents involving women in distress.

The government has also focused on the growing threat of cybercrime by announcing Cyber Crime Help Desks in all police stations. Officials said the specialised units will assist victims of online fraud and ensure faster registration and processing of complaints.

According to the government, every cybercrime complaint received at a police station will be uploaded immediately to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Cases will also be processed through the national cybercrime helpline, 1930, enabling authorities to freeze fraudulent transactions at the earliest and improve the chances of recovering lost money.

Describing cybercrime as an increasing challenge, Chief Minister Adhikari urged people to report incidents without delay, noting that quick reporting significantly improves the effectiveness of financial fraud investigations.

During the event, the Chief Minister also praised Director General of Police Siddhinath Gupta for implementing Women's Help Desks across the state within a short period. He said the police leadership had acted swiftly to strengthen citizen services and improve public safety.

Addressing senior police officers, Adhikari instructed them to ensure that every complaint is registered and investigated strictly according to legal procedures. He emphasised that police stations should function without external influence and that officers would be held accountable for any negligence in handling complaints.

The new measures form part of the state government's broader efforts to strengthen law enforcement, improve women's safety and enhance cybercrime response through better infrastructure and quicker police intervention.

Expelled Trinamool Congress leader Riju Dutta claims more than 50 of the party's 80 MLAs are ready to declare themselves the "real" TMC, as Mamata Banerjee leads a protest in Kolkata against alleged post-poll attacks on party leaders.

Rebel Faction Sharpens Claims

The Trinamool Congress is facing its most serious internal challenge in years, with expelled party leader Riju Dutta claiming that over 50 of the party's 80 MLAs are prepared to break away and declare themselves the legitimate face of the All India Trinamool Congress. The rebel group is also said to be seeking the Leader of Opposition post and the party symbol — moves that could trigger a formal split and a prolonged legal battle over the party's identity.

West Bengal minister Tapas Roy added fuel to the fire on Tuesday, saying plainly: "The party will break, which it should." His remarks, made amid an ongoing session of the state legislature, were among the most candid acknowledgements yet from within TMC ranks that the crisis may be irreversible.

Mamata Takes to the Streets

Even as the split speculation mounted, TMC Chairperson and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on the ground in Kolkata, leading a sit-in protest at Rani Rashmoni Avenue against alleged post-poll violence targeting party leaders. Before arriving at the protest site, she paid floral tributes to B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi on Red Road — a deliberate symbolic gesture, observers noted, ahead of what the party is framing as a democratic rights protest.

Several senior TMC figures were present at the site, including newly appointed Leader of Opposition Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Indranil Sen, and MP Kalyan Banerjee, who had earlier met Mamata at her Kalighat residence.

Abhishek Banerjee Among Those Allegedly Targeted

At the heart of the TMC's protest is the alleged assault on party National General Secretary and Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee. According to party leaders, a crowd attacked Abhishek and threw eggs at him — an incident the TMC says is emblematic of a wider pattern of politically motivated violence against its representatives in the wake of the state assembly elections.

Kalyan Banerjee, a senior TMC MP, was also said to have been targeted. The party has demanded strict police action and accused the state's new administration of allowing — and in some cases facilitating — the attacks.

Mamata Hits Out at Police, EVMs

Addressing supporters at the protest, Mamata Banerjee levelled serious allegations against law enforcement. "Cops are threatening our leaders. The CP of Chandannagar called our leader and asked him to resign, otherwise he would be arrested," she said, claiming TMC leaders across the state were being picked up in what she described as false cases.

She also renewed her challenge to the election results, alleging that the BJP had rigged counting in 177 of 294 assembly seats. "The EVMs have been hacked. We are maintaining peace, but the government is promoting lawlessness," she said. West Bengal's new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, speaking separately on Tuesday, did not respond directly to the fraud allegations but issued statements on cultural nationalism, saying recitation of Vande Mataram had been made mandatory in all state schools.

Assembly Appointments, Speaker Standoff

The TMC moved to formalise its role in the new assembly on Tuesday, submitting appointments for its legislative team. Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay has been named Leader of Opposition, with Ashima Patra and Nayana Bandopadhyay as Deputy Leaders, and Firhad Hakim as Chief Whip.

However, the process hit a bureaucratic snag almost immediately. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said that when he and Ashima Patra went to the Speaker's office to submit the letter, the Speaker was absent. The office secretary reportedly told them the Speaker had verbally instructed that no letter be received. "What kind of custodian of democracy is the Speaker?" Ghosh said.

What Comes Next

The coming days are likely to be decisive. If the rebel MLAs formally declare their faction the "real" Trinamool and stake a claim to the party's symbol, the matter will move to the Election Commission — a process that can take months and has historically torn parties apart. For now, Mamata's counter-move appears to be keeping her core loyalists visible and vocal while the expulsion of rebel leaders signals she is not in a mood for negotiation.

West Bengal Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the stone-pelting and scuffle that targeted Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee during his visit to violence-hit South Sonarpur on Saturday. The development has intensified political tensions in the state following the BJP’s victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

The arrests were made after overnight raids on Sunday, with police relying heavily on video footage from the area. Officials said the accused have been identified as local residents allegedly linked to the incident.

Attack During Political Visit

Abhishek Banerjee had gone to South Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district to meet TMC workers who claimed they were targeted in post-poll violence. According to party leaders, a group of protesters, reportedly BJP supporters, surrounded his vehicle, raised slogans, and pelted him with stones, eggs, and shoes. His shirt was torn in the scuffle.

Security personnel quickly intervened and escorted the MP out of the area. Images and videos circulating on social media showed Banerjee emerging wearing a protective helmet. Party workers said the situation turned chaotic within minutes of his arrival.

Mamata Banerjee Calls it a Conspiracy

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited Banerjee at a Kolkata hospital, strongly condemned the attack. She described it as a “pre-planned conspiracy” and said the MP was lucky to have escaped serious injury.

“If he had not been wearing a helmet, he could have died on the spot,” Mamata told reporters. She claimed that blood clots had formed following the assault and questioned the sequence of medical events. 

The Chief Minister alleged that BJP leaders and a senior police officer had put pressure on hospital authorities to discharge Abhishek Banerjee early. She raised doubts over his initial admission to the Intensive Therapy Unit and subsequent shift.

Shift to Home Treatment

Banerjee has since been taken home from the hospital. According to Mamata, he will now be under the care of a family doctor, with oxygen cylinders and other necessary equipment arranged at his residence. 

TMC sources said the MP met the family of a local party worker who was killed in post-election clashes in the region before the attack occurred.

Police Investigation Underway

South 24 Parganas police have registered a case and are examining multiple video clips and eyewitness statements. A senior officer confirmed that further arrests cannot be ruled out as the probe continues. 

The area has a history of political clashes between TMC and BJP cadres. South Sonarpur remains one of the more sensitive pockets in the district, with repeated incidents reported in recent years.

Post-Poll Violence Backdrop

The incident comes weeks after the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election results, in which the BJP secured a historic majority. The party, led by Suvendu Adhikari, won 208 seats while the TMC was reduced to 80. Several seats in Abhishek Banerjee’s parliamentary constituency also went to the BJP. 

The Sonarpur South Assembly seat is currently held by BJP MLA Roopa Ganguly, who defeated the TMC candidate in the polls. Local tensions have remained high since the results were declared, with both sides accusing each other of violence and intimidation.

Reactions Pour In

The BJP has denied any involvement in the attack and accused the TMC of staging the incident to gain sympathy and divert attention from post-poll setbacks. Party leaders called Mamata Banerjee’s allegations “baseless and politically motivated.”

Senior TMC leaders, meanwhile, demanded a fair and time-bound investigation and alleged that the local administration was soft on the attackers. 

The attack has once again highlighted the deeply polarised political atmosphere in rural and semi-urban pockets of South 24 Parganas. Many residents say everyday life continues to be disrupted by rival political groups even after the elections.

As of now, Abhishek Banerjee is reported to be stable. Police have increased security in the South Sonarpur area to prevent any further flare-ups. The case remains under active investigation.

Bengal cabinet approves Seventh Pay Commission; women to get free state bus travel

Seventh State Pay Commission cleared, Annapurna scheme approved and religion-based welfare plans to be axed; free bus rides for women from June 1

The West Bengal cabinet on Monday approved the constitution of a Seventh State Pay Commission to review and redraw the salary structure for state government employees, a key early move by the new BJP-led administration under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The decision — among several welfare and administrative measures cleared at a morning meeting in Kolkata — is being viewed as the government’s effort to deliver on pre-election promises while reshaping some legacy programmes.

Pay commission formally set up
According to officials who attended the meeting, formal approval was given to constitute the Seventh State Pay Commission, tasked with examining pay scales, allowances and related service conditions for the state’s workforce. “The cabinet has approved setting up the pay commission,” Minister Agnimitra Paul told reporters after the meeting. The panel’s terms of reference, membership and timetable were not disclosed immediately.

Free bus travel for women
In another high-profile decision, the cabinet gave in-principle approval for free travel for women in all state-run government buses from June 1. State transport authorities will issue implementing guidelines in the coming days, officials said. The measure is slated to cover the state transport corporation and other government-operated bus services, though private and interstate services were not mentioned.

New welfare move: Annapurna Yojana
The cabinet also cleared the Annapurna Yojana under the Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare — a nutrition and food-assistance scheme aimed at vulnerable populations. Officials said the Annapurna Bhandar programme will be launched as part of the government’s social welfare push, but detailed beneficiary lists, funding allocations and operational plans will be announced after further consultations.

Religion-based schemes to end
In a major administrative shift, the government decided to discontinue certain assistance programmes that were administered on the basis of religious classification under the Information and Cultural Affairs Department and the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department. Sources said these schemes will continue for the current month but will be stopped from next month. Officials framed the move as part of a broader realignment of welfare schemes, but did not provide figures on how many beneficiaries would be affected.

DA, OBC review left for later
Despite expectations among state employees for an immediate Dearness Allowance (DA) hike, the DA issue was not discussed at Monday’s meeting. Sources close to the administration said the DA would be examined separately, suggesting employees may have to wait for a dedicated session. The cabinet did, however, clear a review of Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations and sub-categorisation for state government posts. Agnimitra Paul said fresh inquiries will be launched and decisions will follow directions issued by the Calcutta High Court on inclusion of communities in the OBC list.

Ground-level reactions
Reaction from employee unions and opposition parties was swift. A leader of one government staff association, speaking on condition of anonymity, said workers will press for an early announcement on DA and want the pay commission to move quickly. Opposition figures called for transparency on which religion-based schemes will be discontinued and urged the state to publish beneficiary data before changes take effect.

Implementation questions remain
Officials acknowledged several implementation challenges. Transport department sources said logistics for free women’s travel — from funding compensation to issuing smartcards or passes — must be finalised within days. Similarly, social welfare officers said the Annapurna rollout will require coordination with district administrations and existing food distribution channels.

What happens next
The immediate next steps include formal notification of the pay commission’s terms and timelines, and an official government order detailing the scope and start date for free bus travel for women. The state has also prepared to launch fresh inquiries into OBC lists, with district-level teams expected to collect records and submissions over the coming months.

With several measures aimed at signalling a policy reset and welfare focus, the administration faces the practical test of translating these cabinet decisions into functioning programmes on the ground — all under a tight timetable and sharp public scrutiny.

BSF to get land within 45 days: Bengal joins Ayushman Bharat as CM Suvendu clears 6 major moves

In his first Cabinet meeting at Nabanna, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the implementation of several central schemes and a crackdown on illegal border activities.

Kolkata: Marking a tectonic shift in West Bengal’s administrative direction, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday chaired his first cabinet meeting at Nabanna, clearing six major policy decisions that align the state closely with the Centre. Highlighting national security and public welfare as immediate priorities, the Chief Minister announced that all pending land requirements for the Border Security Force (BSF) would be cleared within 45 days.

The meeting, which took place just two days after the BJP government was sworn in following a landslide victory, also saw the official entry of West Bengal into the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme—a long-standing point of contention between the previous TMC regime and the Union government.

Focus on border security and land transfer

The decision to expedite land handover to the BSF is being seen as the new administration's first major move to curb illegal infiltration. Addressing the media after the session, Adhikari alleged that the previous government had deliberately stalled border fencing projects.

“National security cannot be a matter of political negotiation. We have directed the Land and Land Reforms Department to ensure that 100% of the required land for fencing along the international border is handed over to the BSF within 45 days,” the Chief Minister said. Sources in the state secretariat indicated that nearly 90% of the land identification process is already in its final stages.

Rollout of Ayushman Bharat and central schemes

In a move that will impact millions of families, the cabinet gave its nod to implement the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, popularly known as Ayushman Bharat, in West Bengal. The Health Secretary has been instructed to sign the necessary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Health Ministry immediately.

Beyond healthcare, the state will now also adopt other flagship central programmes including PM Vishwakarma, PM SHRI, and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative. The Chief Minister emphasized that these schemes would complement existing state-run social programs, which he assured would not be stopped but made more transparent through updated DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) portals.

Relief for government job aspirants

Addressing a key poll promise that resonated with the state’s youth, the cabinet approved a five-year relaxation in the upper age limit for government job applicants. This move is intended to compensate for the "lost years" of recruitment cycles that were allegedly frozen or marred by litigation in the past decade.

“We are committed to the youth of Bengal. This relaxation will ensure that those who missed out on opportunities due to administrative delays get a fair shot at serving the state,” Adhikari added.

Administrative and legal overhaul

The cabinet also signaled a shift in how the state’s bureaucracy and police interact with the Centre. West Bengal cadre IAS and IPS officers will now be permitted to attend central government training programs, a practice that had seen significant friction previously.

On the legal front, the government announced the full implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Chief Minister noted that criminal and anti-social activities would be dealt with strictly under the new central laws, adding that the state would also immediately begin the 2025 Census process as per the Ministry of Home Affairs circular.

Tribute to political martyrs

The meeting began with a formal tribute to 321 individuals described by the government as "martyrs" of political violence in Bengal. Adhikari stated that the families of these workers would receive the state's full support.

“This government is born out of the sacrifice of our workers. We will ensure justice reaches every corner of Bengal where lawlessness once prevailed,” he said.

Crackdown on syndicates and smuggling

Earlier in the day, Nabanna issued high-level instructions to district Superintendents of Police to initiate an immediate crackdown on cattle smuggling and "syndicate raj" (unauthorised construction and supply cartels).

A separate law-and-order review meeting was held at 5 pm, where senior officials including the Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner were briefed on the new government's policing priorities.

Future roadmap for the Cabinet

The next cabinet meeting is scheduled for next Monday, where the government is expected to discuss the formation of a fact-finding committee regarding the RG Kar case and other issues concerning women's safety. Senior leaders like Dilip Ghosh and Agnimitra Paul, who were present at today's meeting along with other newly inducted ministers, are expected to play a central role in these upcoming deliberations.

As the Adhikari administration moves towards a "paperless office" system and a complete administrative overhaul, the first day’s decisions have set a clear, aggressive tone for the BJP’s debut innings in West Bengal.

PM Modi Arrives in Kolkata as Suvendu Adhikari Set to Take Oath as Bengal CM Today

Thousands gather at Brigade Parade Ground for historic swearing-in ceremony; 20 NDA chief ministers to attend

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at the RCTC Ground in Kolkata just before 10 am on Saturday, marking the start of a high-stakes day that will see Suvendu Adhikari sworn in as West Bengal's first BJP chief minister. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for 11 am at the historic Brigade Parade Ground.

Adhikari, dressed in a saffron kurta for the occasion, arrived at the airport to receive the Prime Minister. The gesture carried political weight, signalling the close coordination between the BJP's central leadership and its newest state government.

Historic Transition of Power

The legislative party meeting held Friday at a Convention Centre in Kolkata formally elected Adhikari as their leader. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the decision shortly after. Adhikari then met the Governor at Lok Bhavan to stake claim for forming the government.

For the BJP, this represents a breakthrough in a state it had never governed before. The party's performance in last month's assembly elections reshaped West Bengal's political map.

Massive Gathering Expected

Authorities expect over one lakh people to assemble at the Brigade Parade Ground. Four thousand security personnel have been deployed across the venue. Barricades are being installed to manage the crowd, and waterproof tents have been set up as a precaution against unpredictable late-morning weather.

The pandal features a Bengal theme with approximately 20 varieties of flowers used for decoration. A large floral rangoli has been arranged before the main stage. The vehicle meant to carry Adhikari and PM Modi to the podium has also been specially decorated.

NDA Leaders Flock to Kolkata

Chief ministers from 20 NDA and BJP-ruled states have arrived to attend the ceremony. Among those confirmed present are Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary, and Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, and BJP president JP Nadda have also reached the venue. Gadkari landed earlier this morning, while Nadda left his hotel shortly before 9.30 am.

Ground-Level Preparations

Beyond the political spectacle, organisers have arranged stalls selling local favourites like jhalmuri and rasgulla. The VIP lunch menu includes aloo dum, black lentils, pulao, mixed vegetables, masala kulcha, baingan bhaja saag, aloo poshto, and gulab jamun for dessert.

A memorial has been erected at the ground for BJP workers killed in political violence in West Bengal over recent years. Party leaders have framed the swearing-in as a tribute to those deaths.

What Comes Next

BJP's Dilip Jaiswal told reporters earlier that the new government would work to fulfil the vision of a "new Bengal". Party leader Sankar Ghosh described the moment as time to meet the aspirations of the state's people.

Adhikari himself called the BJP's Bengal victory a "historic dawn" in a statement released Friday evening. Once sworn in, his immediate challenges will include cabinet formation and administrative transition in a state where the BJP previously had no governing experience.

The ceremony is expected to conclude by early afternoon.

BJP shatters Bengal glass ceiling with 207 seats; TMC ousted after 15-year rule

In a seismic shift that alters the landscape of Indian politics, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form its first-ever government in West Bengal. Crossing the "final frontier" that had eluded the saffron party for decades, the BJP secured a thumping majority with 207 seats in the 293-member Assembly, effectively ending the 15-year tenure of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The TMC, which had dominated the state since 2011, saw its tally plummet to 80 seats as the "Saffron Wave" swept through both rural heartlands and urban centres. Election Commission (EC) data confirmed a historic voter turnout of 92.47%, reflecting the high stakes of a campaign that often blurred the lines between a state election and a national referendum.

A historic shift in Kolkata

The atmosphere at the BJP state headquarters in Kolkata turned electric on Monday afternoon as early leads solidified into an unassailable majority. Supporters were seen celebrating with ‘Jhalmuri’ and saffron gulal, marking a symbolic victory in the birthplace of the party's ideological patriarch, Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

For the BJP, this isn't just a state win; it is the culmination of a decade-long expansion strategy. "The people of Bengal have chosen the path of 'Asol Poribortan' (real change)," a senior party strategist noted, requesting anonymity. Initial reports from counting centres indicate that the BJP made significant inroads into traditional TMC bastions, particularly in North Bengal and the tribal belts of Jangal Mahal.

Women voters swing the tide

One of the most defining factors of this mandate appears to be the consolidation of the female electorate. Despite the TMC’s long-standing welfare schemes targeted at women, the BJP managed to pivot the narrative toward safety and central representation. Party insiders suggest that the push for women’s reservation in legislatures created a "silent wave" of support.

Internal BJP data indicates a nearly 5% shift in the women's vote share. With 3.33 crore women voters in the state, this demographic essentially functioned as the party’s "Vikas Mitras," looking beyond local doles toward broader security concerns and national integration.

The Adhikari impact in Bhabanipur

The political humiliation for the TMC was compounded by the performance of Suvendu Adhikari. The former TMC heavyweight, who once served as Mamata Banerjee’s lieutenant, proved to be her most formidable challenger. His victory in the high-profile Bhabanipur and Nandigram seats served as the focal point of the BJP’s aggressive ground campaign.

Adhikari’s ability to pull away organizational cadres from the TMC disrupted the ruling party's booth-level management. His "insider vs. outsider" counter-narrative successfully neutralized the TMC’s attempt to brand the BJP as a party foreign to Bengali culture.

Middle-class angst and job security

The BJP also successfully tapped into the simmering discontent among government employees and the youth. Promises to implement the Seventh Pay Commission within 45 days of forming the government resonated deeply with nearly 50 lakh voters connected to the state and central services.

"There was a sense of being left behind compared to other states," said Arpan Das, a job aspirant at a local counting booth. The BJP’s "Poribortan Yatra," led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had specifically promised to fill vacant government posts, a move that targeted the 20-30 age demographic which felt sidelined by the existing recruitment processes.

Security measures ensure "fearless" voting

Ground-level cues suggest that the massive deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) played a psychological role in the high turnout. With 500 companies of CAPF stationed across the state and another 200 guarding EVM strongrooms, voters in traditionally "sensitive" zones reportedly felt more secure heading to the booths.

The BJP campaign heavily leveraged public outrage over law-and-order incidents, including the RG Kar hospital tragedy. By framing these issues as a failure of the state machinery, the party turned the election into a mandate on public safety. The RSS's grassroots mobilization further ensured that the "fear factor," often associated with Bengal polls, was significantly diminished.

From Rajasthan 1990 to Bengal 2026

The victory in West Bengal marks a full circle for the BJP’s journey as a governing force. The party first tasted state power in Rajasthan in 1990 under Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. From that humble 85-seat win to becoming the world's largest political party with 11 crore members, the expansion into Bengal represents the final piece of the BJP’s pan-India puzzle.

As the EC prepares to hand over the final certificates, the focus now shifts to the leadership choice for the Chief Minister’s post. While several names are doing the rounds, the party is expected to move quickly to ensure a smooth transition of power in Kolkata.