West Bengal polls: Centre considering sealing of Indo-Bangla border, says Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh also raised the issue of infiltration of Bangladeshis into India through the border with the state.

Kolkata: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the Centre would consider sealing the India-Bangladesh border to stop the menace of fake currency and cattle smuggling.

"We will consider sealing the India-Bangladesh border so that the problem of fake currency and cow smuggling can be stopped," Singh said at a poll rally here today.

Singh also raised the issue of infiltration of Bangladeshis into India through the border with the state.

"Till date we have not taken up any step in connection with the Bangladeshi infiltrations. But we want that people of Bangladesh stay in Bangladesh and Indians stay in India. Bangladesh is our neighbour and we have very good friendly relations with them and we must maintain that relation.

"But it must be ensured that the people of Bangladesh does not become a liability for us (India) and similarly India must not be the same on them... Both the countries be cautious on this matter," Singh said.

The Centre has already decided to "regularise" those Bangladeshis who entered India till December 2014, the Union Home minister said hitting out at the Trinamool Congress government for failing to stop infiltration.

After the 34-year long 'misrule' of the Left Front, Singh said, West Bengal has slipped into a darker phase during the past five years of TMC regime.

Wondering whether West Bengal has truly witnessed "a change" that was promised by the TMC before the party came to power, he said the "situation is very bad in the state".

"West Bengal which was once showing the country the way

to progress has been in a bad shape. People told me that there is nothing happening in West Bengal... All the industries have ceased. Jute mills have closed down.

"The only industry going on here is the bomb making industry. So as a Home Minister, I told them (people) to change the government... I can assure you of good governance," he said.

"There is no investment in the state. They claim that there were investments coming in West Bengal but have you seen any such thing?" Singh asked.

He also accused the Congress of "trying to keep the people of Bengal poor and dependent so that they cannot raise their voice during elections and you can carry on forming the government".

"This is not a minor crime... You people must think over it and do something to change it," he said.

He also attacked the Congress alleging that most of the files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were "either destroyed or suppressed".

"Nobody knew what happened to Netaji and nobody had thought what happened to the man... It was Narendra Modi who decided to declassify all the files. I am sorry to say that several files were either destroyed or suppressed. Isn't this a crime?" Singh questioned.

Earlier in the day, he also addressed three more rallies in support of BJP candidates at Karimpur in Nadia district, Purbasthali Uttar in Burdwan district and then at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas.