HM Amit Shah Claims Corruption Led To Deadly Kolkata Warehouse Blaze

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday alleged that the recent fire at a factory-cum-warehouse in Anandapur on the southern fringes of Kolkata resulted from systemic corruption under the Mamata Banerjee-led state government. The incident, which occurred earlier this week, left 25 people dead, while several others remain untraced.

Speaking at a mass rally and BJP workers’ conference in Barrackpore, South 24 Parganas district, HM Shah claimed that the authorities had spared the owner of the facility because of his alleged proximity to influential political figures.

“The fire in Anandapur was not an accident. A total of 25 people are dead. In addition, 27 people are still missing. Why did it happen? With whom is the owner of the Momo Factory so close? Who invested money there? With whom did the owner of the Momo factory make an overseas trip on the same flight? Why wasn’t he arrested? So many people died. Would Mamata Banerjee have reacted in the same manner had the dead persons been infiltrators? Why are you doing politics over this? You should be ashamed,” HM Amit Shah said.

The Union Home Minister said that if the BJP forms the government in West Bengal after the forthcoming Assembly elections, it will order a thorough investigation into the incident. He assured that all those found guilty would face strict legal consequences.

BJP’s Growing Political Confidence

Highlighting the BJP’s recent electoral performance, HM Shah said the party’s steadily rising vote share suggested a strong chance of winning power in West Bengal in 2026. He recalled that the BJP became the principal Opposition in the 2021 Assembly elections by securing 77 seats.

“In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP secured 39 per cent of the total votes polled. This time, we have to leap from 39 per cent to 45 per cent,” he said.

HM Shah also criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming she was driven by an illusion linked to her ambition of making her nephew the next Chief Minister. He said that such notions would fade once political realities set in.

Addressing concerns among the Matua community, HM Shah assured voters that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls would not affect their voting rights.

“Mamata Banerjee is trying to mislead them by stating that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision will result in the deletion of their names from the voters’ list. I am assuring them from here that not a single Matua voter will lose his or her voting right,” HM Shah noted.

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