Modi talks about BD, India border in West Bengal visit

During a two-day visit to West Bengal, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the Bangladesh-India border, the history of undivided Bengal, and the Noakhali riots in his speech.

He said this at a public rally held in Tarakeswar on the occasion of West Bengal Day on Saturday, June 20, 2026.

Modi said that during the period of colonial rule, Bengal witnessed many sacrifices and much bloodshed. He stated that countless innocent people lost their lives in the communal violence in Calcutta in 1946 and in the Noakhali riots. 

He also commented that despite the pain of Partition, the people of Bengal have been able to preserve their heritage, culture, and identity.

Referring to the history of the formation of West Bengal, the Indian Prime Minister said that at one time there had been an attempt to separate the whole of Bengal from India. However, he claimed that this effort was not allowed to succeed through the establishment of the separate state of West Bengal. He further asserted that the region’s heritage and cultural identity have been preserved through a long movement.

Modi also spoke about the construction of barbed-wire fencing along the India-Bangladesh border. He alleged that the previous state government had obstructed the transfer of the land required for building the border fence. However, he said that the process is now moving forward again under the current circumstances.

At the rally, the Indian Prime Minister also criticized West Bengal’s ruling party, the Trinamool Congress. He said that action is being taken against individuals involved in corruption and that those who have long engaged in syndicate operations and extortion politics are being brought under accountability.

On Sunday, Narendra Modi will take part in an event at Kolkata’s historic Red Road to mark International Yoga Day. The event has also sparked controversy in political circles. Opposition parties claim that in the past, the use of Red Road for Eid prayers was opposed on the grounds of traffic congestion, yet an International Yoga Day event is now being organized at the same venue.