In this screenshot image from a video posted on January 17, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting, in Malda, West Bengal. Videograb: YouTube/@NarendraModi via PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Malda, on Saturday (January 17, 2026) said, “People of India, especially Gen Z, have reposed faith in BJP’s development model.”
He also mounted a sharp attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Government in West Bengal, alleging that large-scale infiltration altered the State’s demography, triggered riots in districts like Malda and Murshidabad, and thrived due to the ruling party’s “patronage and syndicate raj”.
Mr. Modi also sought to reassure refugees such as the Matuas, who had migrated to India after facing religious persecution, amid the ongoing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. “I want to assure refugees like the Matuas who took shelter in India due to religious persecution: you need not worry,” he said.
Addressing a rally in Malda, the Prime Minister said infiltration posed one of the biggest challenges before Bengal, asserting that even prosperous countries across the world were taking firm steps to identify and deport illegal migrants.
“Infiltration is a very big challenge before Bengal. There are developed and prosperous countries in the world which have no shortage of money, yet they are removing infiltrators. It is equally necessary to remove infiltrators from West Bengal,” he noted.
Linking recent incidents of violence to the issue, the Prime Minister claimed riots had erupted in several parts of the State, including Malda and Murshidabad, due to infiltration. He alleged that the TMC’s “syndicate” system was actively working to ensure infiltrators were settled in Bengal, leading to demographic changes in many areas.
At the rally, Mr. Modi congratulated the Bengal people for getting country’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train and four new Amrit Bharat trains.
He said, “Doing my best to ensure all homeless people of Bengal get pucca houses, access to clean drinking water.”
At the rally, the Prime Minister reiterated “Heartless, cruel TMC Government looting public money, preventing central aid from reaching Bengal people. Bengal’s development will happen only when TMC is defeated and BJP comes to power.”
He asserted that “I am certain Bengal will give BJP overwhelming mandate in upcoming Assembly election.”
Training his guns on the ruling party, PM Modi said the “hooliganism and politics of threats” practised by the TMC would soon come to an end. He claimed West Bengal was surrounded by BJP-ruled States that had ensured “good governance”, and asserted that it was now Bengal’s turn.
“Bengal is surrounded on all sides by BJP Governments that stand for good governance. Now it is time for good governance in Bengal too,” he said.
Mr. Modi coined a slogan ‘Paltano darkar, chai BJP sarkar’ (Need to change, want BJP Government) for the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Published – January 17, 2026 04:06 pm IST
