Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday (April 11, 2026) targeted each other over the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the poll-bound State.

“The commitment of the BJP is to implement the Uniform Civil Code. By bringing UCC in the State, we will end the politics of appeasement forever,” Mr. Modi said, addressing a gathering in the Muslim-dominated Jangipur area of Murshidabad district.

In its election manifesto released on Friday (April 10, 2026), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had promised to implement the UCC in the State within six months of being voted to power. According to the last Census, Muslims make up about 27% of the West Bengal population, and the community had largely opposed The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, and The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.

‘Battle for Bengali identity’

The Prime Minister addressed three public meetings at Jangipur, Kushmundi, and Kalna on Saturday (April 11, 2026), repeatedly reiterating his claims about demographic change taking place in the State, and calling the elections a “battle to preserve West Bengal’s identity.”

“West Bengal will no longer tolerate this game of appeasement and vote-bank politics. We will not allow Bengalis to become a minority in the State,” Mr. Modi said. Addressing the rally at Kushmundi, the PM also reiterated that refugees belonging to the Matua and Namasudra communities — Hindus from Bangladesh —would be granted citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “Those who have suffered for decades and taken refuge here will get justice. The Matua and Namasudra communities will get citizenship under the CAA,” he said.

In his speeches, the Prime Minister raised the pitch about fear prevailing during the Trinamool Congress regime. “Bhoy out, Bharsa In, BJP ke vote din (Fear out, trust in, vote for BJP),” Mr. Modi said.

‘BJP trying to divide the State’

Ms. Banerjee, who also addressed multiple rallies during the day, strongly denounced the UCC. “They have spoken about UCC in the manifesto... I will vehemently oppose this. They are in majority today so they will pass the Bill. When they won’t be in majority tomorrow, we will revoke the Bill... Free and fair elections are not possible as long as they remain,” she said.

The Chief Minister also claimed that the BJP wants to divide the State. “Elections are going on and in the middle of that, they are bringing the Delimitation Bill in Parliament. This was not even debated. The reason behind this is that they want to divide Bengal and conduct the [National Register of Citizens] NRC here,” she said.

The Trinamool Congress chairperson accused the BJP of trying to get her candidature from Bhabanipur seat in south Kolkata cancelled by attempting to file two false cases against her. However, the bid was foiled by TMC workers and the public, she said.

Hectic campaigning

With less than two weeks left for the first phase of polling in the State on April 23, Saturday (April 11, 2026) turned out to be a day of hectic political campaigning. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also addressed rallies at Onda and Chhatna in Bankura district. 

Mr. Shah said that the BJP would end the TMC’s “syndicate raj” if voted to power, and would ensure justice for women facing atrocities.

“Mamata Banerjee plays the victim card. At times, she wears a bandage on her leg or head. This time, even if you wear a bandage on your leg, head, or hand, the people of Bengal will not vote for you,” the Home Minister said, referring to Ms. Banerjee’s campaign in a wheelchair with a plaster on her leg following an injury while canvassing at Nandigram in 2021.

Addressing a gathering at Rejinagar, Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Aam Janata Unnayan Party president Humayun Kabir, and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar are the three “agencies” working to undermine the people and strengthen the BJP in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. Mr. Banerjee accused the CEC of “taking away voting rights” of the poor under the guise of logical discrepancies in the electoral rolls.