With the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, the political atmosphere in West Bengal has intensified after an FIR was filed against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has accused the Chief Minister of making communally provocative remarks during a five-day protest against the SIR process at Dharamtala.

The Controversy: During the protest, Mamata Banerjee stated, “You are all well because our government is here. If we are not here, it will take one second… when a community does not unite, if surrounded, it will take only a second to ruin everything (’12 ta bajie debe’).” The video of this speech went viral, triggering sharp criticism from opposition parties and netizens, who labeled the statement as ‘misleading’, ‘uncalled for’, and ‘communally inflammatory’.

Legal Action by VHP: In response, Amiya Kumar Sarkar, the East Region Secretary of the VHP, attempted to file a formal complaint at the Rampurhat police station in Birbhum. The organization claims that when the police refused to register a direct FIR, they submitted the complaint via email. Expressing deep concern, Sarkar stated that such inflammatory comments from someone holding a high constitutional office could lead to a severe breakdown of law and order and potentially ignite communal tension.

This FIR against the Chief Minister, coming right before the Assembly elections, has further escalated the already volatile political situation in the state.