Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on April 25, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would “extensively implement” the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and assured Bangladeshi Hindus of safety, as campaigning intensified ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Sarma said, “Expatriate Bengalis have come; it’s a good thing. But Bangladeshi Muslims voted out of fear.” He added, “Not a single Bangladeshi Hindu is scared under the BJP government. There’s no reason to be afraid. If Hindus are not safe in India, then where will they be?”

Taking a swipe at Mamata Banerjee over her “egg and fish” remark against the BJP, Sarma said, “Come eat along with me. I will eat one kilogram more than them.” He also targeted Abhishek Banerjee, stating, “Abhishek ji does not need to challenge Amit Shah ji. The result will come on May 4, and Abhishek will flee to Dubai,” expressing confidence in a BJP victory.

Sarma held a roadshow in Behala Purba constituency for BJP candidate Sankar Sikder, where the party is attempting to wrest the seat from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has retained it for three consecutive terms. In the 2021 election, TMC’s Ratna Chatterjee defeated BJP’s Payel Sarkar by 37,428 votes, a margin of 17.1 per cent.

Earlier in the day, addressing a press conference in Kolkata, the Assam Chief Minister rejected allegations that Bengali Hindus were lodged in detention centres in Assam. “Not a single Bengali Hindu is in detention camps in Assam. If there is even a single Bengali Hindu, I am ready to resign today,” he said.

Referring to legal provisions on illegal immigration, Sarma said the Supreme Court had enabled the use of the Illegal Immigrant Expulsion Act, 1948, allowing district authorities to remove suspected infiltrators within 48 hours. He argued that the law, introduced during Congress rule, should be extended to other states, adding, “Hindus are protected under the CAA.”

Raising the issue of demographic change, Sarma alleged that illegal immigration from Bangladesh could alter the population balance in West Bengal and beyond. “Every Indian has a stake in the West Bengal elections because the impact will be felt by everyone,” he said, adding that demographic shifts could trigger demands for religious laws. He maintained that “secularism is safe as long as the demography is maintained”.

The BJP has made illegal immigration a central campaign issue, accusing the TMC government of allowing cross-border influx. The party leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has pledged to curb infiltration if voted to power.

Polling for the first phase of the Assembly elections concluded on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a turnout of 92.88 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India. Voting for the second phase is scheduled for April 29, while counting will take place on May 4.