Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has created a fresh wave of political tension with her recent pronouncements. Speaking on the subject of unlawful infiltration on India’s eastern border, she issued a fiercely debated statement against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which subsequently triggered widespread criticism. Moitra declared that Amit Shah’s “head should be chopped off and put on the table,” a comment that has stirred significant unrest in the political arena.
Expressing concern about the alleged influx from Bangladesh, Mahua Moitra launched a harsh critique of the central government’s border security policies during a public gathering. She was quoted as saying, “I am asking if there is no one to protect our borders and people from other nations are entering India in lakhs and crores…If they are eyeing our mothers and sisters…If they are taking over our land…At first, Amit Shah’s head must be chopped off and put on the table.”
Her remarks drew immediate and strong condemnation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other political groups. BJP leaders characterized it as a violent, unconstitutional, and criminal statement made against a minister. Many leaders condemned the statement as “unparliamentary,” “dangerous,” and an “insult to the dignity of public representation.”
Moitra’s remarks were made in the context of alleged illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and the related challenges to the population and security in border areas like West Bengal. She placed the entire responsibility for the situation on the central government and its functioning, denouncing it as a “security failure.”
Further elaborating, she added, “The Home Ministry and the Home Minister who cannot protect the borders of this country…The Prime Minister is himself saying that people from outside are coming here and preying on our mothers and sisters.”
This controversy has emerged during the period when the central government is undertaking ‘Operation Pushback,’ a measure aimed at identifying and removing Rohingya and illegal Bangladeshi citizens living in the country.
However, Moitra emphasizes that despite these efforts, illegal infiltration continues to be a major concern. She claims that, notwithstanding the presence of agencies at the borders, the local populace does not experience any security benefits.
She also stated, “BSF is here. What is BSF doing? We (natives) remain fearful of the BSF. We do not see anyone infiltrating here.”
The BSF, which comes under the Union Home Ministry, has yet to issue an official statement regarding the matter. Some officials associated with the ministry have characterized these comments as “motivated by political interest” and “far from ground reality.” The BJP is preparing to raise the issue in Parliament and is considering the possibility of filing a complaint under various sections of the IPC for threatening the Home Minister and inciting violence. Sources within the Home Ministry have described Moitra’s remarks as a “direct violation of democratic values and national interests.”
Although the TMC leadership has not made an official statement on this controversy, party insiders have voiced some discomfort with Mahua Moitra’s strong rhetoric, even though she continues to be critical of BJP policies. The controversy further strengthens Mahua Moitra’s image as a forthright and outspoken leader who doesn’t shy away from overstepping the lines of political decorum. Legal action against her or the prospect of a censure motion in Parliament after her statement cannot be ruled out.
