# Siliguri Security Projects Groundbroken as Land Allocation for Border Fencing Sparks Political Clash Between Shah and TMC

> Union Home Minister Amit Shah's praise for 900 acres of land acquisition for India-Bangladesh border fencing during his Siliguri visit drew sharp retorts from TMC leaders and opposition MLAs.

**Type:** article · **Category:** West Bengal · **Published:** 2026-08-22 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/west-bengal/siliguri-men-sima-suraksha-pariyojanaon-ka-shilanyasa-barabndi-ke-lie-jamina-avntana-para-amit-shah-aura-tmc-amane-samane-19789 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Amit Shah, Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari, Siliguri, India Bangladesh Border, BSF, SSB, West Bengal Politics

Political tensions flared in the strategically vital city of Siliguri, West Bengal, following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's review of internal security and border infrastructure projects. During his visit, Shah conducted two high-level security assessment meetings, which were attended by Suvendu Adhikari. The event marked the foundation stone laying ceremony for multiple infrastructural projects belonging to the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), including an 80-acre SSB campus in Siliguri. Speaking at a public ceremony, Shah praised the handover of 900 acres of land required for fencing the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, noting that the central government had been seeking cooperation on this crucial security measure since 2014.

## Border Fencing and Political Allegations
Amit Shah emphasized that border fencing work along the Bangladesh border will now move forward rapidly due to the land being made available for construction. He attributed this progress to a shift in state governance efficiency, contrasting it with the previous administration under former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Shah remarked that repeated requests to the previous administration went unheeded regarding land acquisition, and Banerjee refrained from attending SSB official functions. According to Shah, under Suvendu Adhikari's governance, administrative approvals for land acquisition arrive even before formal letters from the central government are processed. This visit holds immense geopolitical importance as Siliguri sits in close proximity to the borders of Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, serving as the critical Siliguri Corridor, often called the "Chicken's Neck", which connects the Northeastern states to the rest of India.

## TMC Counters Home Minister's Claims
Leaders of the Trinamool Congress strongly contested the Home Minister's remarks, dismissing them as politically motivated allegations. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asserted, **"Preventing infiltration along international borders is strictly the duty of the Home Minister."** Ghosh argued that Shah was attempting to shift blame to Mamata Banerjee to cover up security shortcomings. He clarified that the state had previously provided land to the BSF, and minor delays were solely due to unresolved technical issues rather than political reluctance. Echoing similar sentiments, TMC leader Madan Mitra criticized the central leadership, alleging that BJP leaders regularly visit the region to make grand announcements and seek publicity while accomplishing very little tangible progress on the ground.

## Opposition Perspective and Border Security Outlook
Weighing in on the controversy, Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Naushad Siddiqui observed that disputes between the central government and the state over land allocation for border forces are long-standing. Siddiqui urged both political factions to end the continuous cycle of blame games. He added that if the administration demonstrated similar speed in resolving other pressing socio-economic challenges in West Bengal, it would render far greater benefit to the public. From a defense and law enforcement perspective, completing the perimeter fencing along the international frontier is expected to curtail cross-border infiltration and illicit trafficking, making national borders significantly more secure.

## What this means for you
**Across India:** The completion of border fencing along the India-Bangladesh frontier strengthens national security and reduces illegal cross-border infiltration and smuggling.

**In West Bengal & Northeastern Region:** Enhanced security infrastructure in the Siliguri Corridor ("Chicken's Neck") safeguards the strategic land bridge connecting Northeast India to the rest of the nation.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What security projects did Amit Shah launch in Siliguri?
Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for an 80-acre Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) campus and several Border Security Force (BSF) infrastructure projects in Siliguri.

### 2. How much land was handed over for the India-Bangladesh border fencing?
A total of 900 acres of land was allocated for completing the fence along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

### 3. Why is Siliguri strategically significant for India's national security?
Siliguri lies near the international borders of Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh and houses the 'Chicken's Neck' corridor, which links Northeast India with the rest of the country.

### 4. How did the Trinamool Congress respond to Home Minister Amit Shah's statement?
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh stated that curbing infiltration falls under the Home Ministry's jurisdiction and attributed minor land transfer delays to technical issues.

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