Large-scale illegal infiltration has changed the state’s demographic balance and alleged vested interest groups have facilitated the influx over the years, West Bengal Governor RV Ravi said on Thursday, as he outlined the priorities of the newly elected BJP government during his address to the first session of the new Assembly.
“The new government has already taken strict action against those who once ran a reign of terror and extortion under the protection and patronage of the former ruling party in the state,” the governor said.
He added: “The influx of illegal infiltrators along long, porous international borders over the past decades has severely affected the demographic balance of the state. Meeting the needs of legal citizens has been affected by the presence of a large number of illegal infiltrators, with the active tolerance of some special interest groups within the state itself.”
The governor said the new government will focus on restoring law and order, curbing illegal immigration, reviving industry and implementing central welfare schemes. “This time the people of the state have given a decisive mandate in favor of a new government for the first time in a decade and a half. The people have decisively rejected the atmosphere of fear and frustration prevailing in the state for a long time,” he said, without naming the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.
“The general atmosphere of threats and intimidation in West Bengal must be eliminated. People must be freed from the clutches of unscrupulous and anti-social elements. The government will effectively control and eliminate the criminal syndicate racketeering system and take steps to prevent heinous crimes against women and children and their trafficking,” he said.
He added: “The government is taking immediate measures to quickly detect and deport illegal aliens after identifying them after the necessary official procedures. A large number of illegal infiltrators have been identified and deported within a short period.”
He added that unused and underutilized lands will be recovered and made available for industrial projects, while a high-level task force and senior bureaucrats led by the Chief Secretary will facilitate land acquisition and industrial expansion.
This was the first session of the newly formed assembly after the BJP took charge of the government in May this year. Swapan Dasgupta, the newly appointed state finance minister, is expected to prepare the budget for the financial year 2026-27 on June 22.
Meanwhile, separate seating arrangements were made in two blocks in the Legislative Assembly for the TMC legislators led by Subhandeep Chattopadhyay and the rebel faction of the party led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
While 17 of the 22 TMC lawmakers attended the opening session, about 38 of the 58 members of the rebel Transitional Military Council attended the session.
“Chief Minister Subhandeep Chattopadhyay treated with due respect. On Thursday, Chattopadhyay sat on the chair reserved for the LoP,” TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh told the media.
Ghosh also said that a team of TMC MLAs met the Prime Minister and requested a separate room and separate time to speak in the Assembly sessions.
“A delegation met the Prime Minister and requested a separate room and a separate time to talk. The Prime Minister confirmed this,” Ghosh said.
