West Bengal’s newly elected Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that 27 kilometers of land will be handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) to advance fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border. He said the initiative aims to strengthen border security and curb illegal infiltration, with land transfer to begin within two weeks.

Adhikari stated that out of the state’s 2,200-kilometer border, fencing currently exists along about 1,600 kilometers, leaving 600 kilometers incomplete. He alleged that the previous state government withheld 555 kilometers of land for political reasons. The chief minister assigned the land and revenue secretary and the chief secretary to complete the handover process within 45 days.

Referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Adhikari said those not covered under the law would be treated as illegal infiltrators, to be arrested by state police and handed over to the BSF. His remarks have sparked new political debate in West Bengal, bringing border security, infiltration, and citizenship issues back to the center of state politics.