The West Bengal Assembly turned into a political battleground on Tuesday as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unleashed a ferocious critique of the Centre’s handling of the Pahalgam terror attack and its retaliatory strike—Operation Sindoor. Her comments sparked fierce resistance from BJP legislators, leading to an explosive session marked by slogans, barbs, and verbal warfare.
Mamata Banerjee minced no words as she took aim at the Centre for what she called a “strategic and moral failure” following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed 26 Indian lives.
“This was an opportunity to reclaim what is rightfully ours—Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. But what did we do? The operation was halted midway. Why?” she asked.
She slammed the delay in capturing the perpetrators, raising questions about the Centre’s intelligence preparedness and operational urgency. “Even today, we don’t know who the attackers were, how they entered, or who aided them. Why haven’t they been caught?” she said.
Raising serious concerns over India’s internal security mechanisms, Mamata accused the central agencies of failing to coordinate with state forces.
“Earlier, if someone crossed the border, the local police would know. Now there’s total silence. Who is benefitting from this breakdown?” she asked, implying that systemic dysfunction allowed foreign militants to infiltrate.
Face-off with Suvendu: “Boundless and Clueless”
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari rose in protest during Mamata’s speech, but the Chief Minister launched a counter-attack that left the House stunned.
“It’s clear from your face you know nothing. I’ve never seen an opposition leader as clueless and boundless as you,” she snapped, as BJP MLAs erupted in chants of “Modi! Modi!”
Undeterred, Mamata continued, accusing the BJP of failing to learn from previous tragedies like Pulwama. “Where was the intelligence? What lessons were learned after Pulwama? None, clearly,” she asserted.
The confrontation intensified when BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, a fashion designer-turned-politician, interrupted Mamata’s speech. The Chief Minister responded with a biting personal remark: “You understand fashion, not politics. You’ve been in politics for two days—don’t try to teach me.”
When Agnimitra asserted her right to speak, Mamata retorted, “Yes, talk more. I know your full history—I just haven’t said it out loud yet.”
The remark set off a wave of outrage as BJP members banged desks, shouted slogans, and heckled the Chief Minister. The Speaker was forced to intervene multiple times, climbing onto a chair to restore order.
Shifting from security to ideology, Mamata attacked the BJP’s appropriation of Hinduism for political ends.
“You are teaching me Hinduism? Our Hinduism is universal and unifying. Yours is a disguised, divisive version that has nothing to do with faith.”
She further accused the BJP of exploiting religion and nationalism for electoral gain, declaring: “They don’t love the country—they love marketing. While the country bled, they were busy campaigning. The Army Chief and Foreign Minister should have been sent abroad to represent India, not the opposition leaders.”
With West Bengal’s 2026 Assembly elections on the horizon, the session marked the opening salvo of what promises to be a high-stakes ideological battle. The BJP continues to position itself as the custodian of national security and patriotism, while the TMC, under Mamata’s leadership, is determined to expose perceived lapses and assert Bengal’s autonomous voice.
As the Assembly spiraled into disorder, it became clear that the political implications of Operation Sindoor will echo far beyond the LoC. The military victory may have concluded on the battlefield, but the political war it ignited is only gaining momentum in Bengal’s legislative corridors.
