“In West Bengal, rioters and mafia have a free run; police are hand in glove with criminals; there is a syndicate tax on all development,” says the Prime Minister at a public meeting in Singur
Accusing the Trinamool Congress of imposing a ‘syndicate tax’ on all development in the State, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 18, 2026) said investment and business would not come to West Bengal as long as the Trinamool Congress government remained in power.
“Industries will only be set up, and investment will come to West Bengal when the law and order situation improves. But in West Bengal, rioters and mafia have a free run. The police are hand in glove with criminals. You know that there is a syndicate tax on all development,” the Prime Minister said at a public meeting in Singur.
There was much enthusiasm among the BJP’s rank and file over the Prime Minister’s public meeting at Singur, as the place had become synonymous with the flight of capital from the State. Tata Motors had decided to pull out its small car factory from Singur during the regime of the Left Front government in 2008, due to protests against forcible land acquisition, which was led by Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee.
Amrit Bharat trains
Mr. Modi, however, did not touch on the development that had rocked the politics of the State almost 18 years ago or promised any fresh investment at Singur. In a government event earlier in the day, Mr. Modi announced development projects worth over ₹830 crore in the State and flagged Amrit Bharat trains connecting Kolkata with other parts of the country.
At the public meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised “asol poriborton [real change]” and repeated the slogan “Paltano Dorkaar, Chai BJP Sorkaar [Need change, want BJP government]” which he had coined at a public meeting at Malda on Saturday (January 17). “It is necessary that the maha-jungleraaj of the TMC goes away from West Bengal and the susashan [good governance] of the BJP comes to power,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Modi accused the Trinamool Congress government of “playing with national security by aiding infiltrators”. “The TMC is playing with national security. They sit on dharnas to protect infiltrators. The TMC is fond of infiltrators as they are their committed vote bank. The TMC can go to any extent to protect infiltrators,” the Prime Minister claimed.
Accusing the Trinamool Congress of imposing a ‘syndicate tax’ on all development in the State, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 18, 2026) said investment and business would not come to West Bengal as long as the Trinamool Congress government remained in power.
“Industries will only be set up, and investment will come to West Bengal when the law and order situation improves. But in West Bengal, rioters and mafia have a free run. The police are hand in glove with criminals. You know that there is a syndicate tax on all development,” the Prime Minister said at a public meeting in Singur.
PM Modi unveils development projects worth over ₹830 crore, flags off three Amrit Bharat trains in Bengal
There was much enthusiasm among the BJP’s rank and file over the Prime Minister’s public meeting at Singur, as the place had become synonymous with the flight of capital from the State. Tata Motors had decided to pull out its small car factory from Singur during the regime of the Left Front government in 2008, due to protests against forcible land acquisition, which was led by Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee.
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Amrit Bharat trains
Mr. Modi, however, did not touch on the development that had rocked the politics of the State almost 18 years ago or promised any fresh investment at Singur. In a government event earlier in the day, Mr. Modi announced development projects worth over ₹830 crore in the State and flagged Amrit Bharat trains connecting Kolkata with other parts of the country.
ALSO WATCH Watch: PM Modi targets Congress over infiltration as he launches key projects in Assam
At the public meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised “asol poriborton [real change]” and repeated the slogan “Paltano Dorkaar, Chai BJP Sorkaar [Need change, want BJP government]” which he had coined at a public meeting at Malda on Saturday (January 17). “It is necessary that the maha-jungleraaj of the TMC goes away from West Bengal and the susashan [good governance] of the BJP comes to power,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Modi accused the Trinamool Congress government of “playing with national security by aiding infiltrators”. “The TMC is playing with national security. They sit on dharnas to protect infiltrators. The TMC is fond of infiltrators as they are their committed vote bank. The TMC can go to any extent to protect infiltrators,” the Prime Minister claimed.
‘Illegal infiltration’
Addressing a public meeting in Malda on Saturday (January 17), the Prime Minister had emphasised the “illegal infiltration” and said it was changing the demography of the State.
Mr. Modi touched on the issue of border fencing and said the TMC government was not providing land to erect fencing along the border. “For the last several years, the Centre has been writing to the TMC government seeking land for border fencing, but the State dispensation did nothing,” Mr. Modi said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made similar remarks, charging the Trinamool Congress government for the lack of border fencing on India Bangladesh border at a press conference in Kolkata on December 30.
Speaking at the public meeting, the Prime Minister tried to draw parallels between the Aam Admi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, saying people would drive people out of power who come in the way of implementing welfare schemes for the poor in the country.
“There was a similar government in Delhi, which did not allow Central schemes to be implemented. They did not listen to us and were only interested in politics. The people have now sent their Chief Minister home. This cruel government, which does not implement Ayushman Bharat, needs to be taught a lesson,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the Trinamool Congress government was opposed to the setting up of PM SHRI schools and a scheme for fishermen titled Pradhan Mantri Matysa Sampada Yojana. Mr. Modi was on a second-day visit to the State, and on Saturday (January 17), he announced several railway projects in the State, including the first Vande Bharat Express train connecting West Bengal and Assam. On Sunday (January 18), the Prime Minister said the past 24 hours were crucial for railway connectivity in West Bengal and “something which was not done in 100 years was achieved in 24 hours”.
The Trinamool Congress reacted sharply to the Prime Minister’s comments, particularly relating to investments in the State.
“Singur doesn’t take kindly to liars. Never has, never will. This is the land that buried corporate land-grab politics. So when PM @narendramodi stood in Singur today and claimed that no investments are coming to Bengal, he wasn’t just distorting facts, he was insulting the intelligence of Bengal’s people,” the TMC posted on social media.
West Bengal’s ruling party pointed out that Singur was back on the mainstream industrial map and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had approved a ₹500-crore state-of-the-art warehouse project on 11.35 acres in Singur.