Kolkata, 17 June (H.S.):

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya has levelled serious allegations against the West Bengal government, claiming that under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s leadership, the state is rapidly turning into a “global supplier of jihadis.” In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, Malviya cited media reports and ongoing investigations to back his claims.

Referring to a large-scale fake birth certificate racket in the Pathankhali area of Gosaba block in South 24 Parganas district, Malviya alleged that over 4,000 fake birth certificates were issued between 2021 and 2025. The racket was reportedly run by a contractual employee, Gautam Sardar, who allegedly used the credentials of the local panchayat pradhan to facilitate the forgeries.

According to Malviya, these fake documents were sold to infiltrators from Bangladesh, effectively granting them Indian citizenship on paper. Using these forged certificates, individuals were able to obtain Indian passports and travel to countries such as Italy, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

“This is not an isolated incident,” Malviya claimed. “Similar operations are being carried out across various panchayat offices in the state. Imagine the scale if this is happening throughout Bengal. There is neither employment nor good governance under Mamata Banerjee. Instead, a corrupt empire is being built on the backs of illegal infiltrators,” he alleged.

He further stated that investigative agencies first uncovered the fake birth certificate network while probing a multi-crore fake passport racket earlier this year. Investigations revealed that illegal migrants from Bangladesh were first provided shelter in villages near the border. Agents then allegedly arranged fake ration cards and birth certificates, which served as a basis for securing voter IDs, PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, and eventually, passports.

Calling the operation more than just corruption or administrative negligence, Malviya labelled it “an institutional framework of treason.”

The BJP leader’s remarks have sparked renewed scrutiny of the state government’s role in curbing such activities. However, as of now, the Trinamool Congress has not issued any official response to the allegations.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh