Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera accuse Home Minister Amit Shah of spreading communal tension after his comments on infiltration and demographics.

New Delhi: A sharp political exchange erupted on Saturday after Congress leaders hit out at Home Minister Amit Shah for his recent comments on infiltration and demographic change. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh labelled Shah an “indigenously developed WMD — Weapon of Mass Disinformation.”

Speaking at a memorial lecture for journalist Narendra Mohan, Shah had alleged that certain political parties were using “infiltrators” as a vote bank and questioned why infiltration did not occur along the Gujarat and Rajasthan borders.

Reacting strongly, Ramesh accused Shah of twisting facts to inflame communal sentiments, adding that the BJP often uses fear-based narratives to divide voters. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera echoed the criticism, claiming Shah’s remarks were aimed at stoking Hindu-Muslim divisions ahead of elections.

Khera questioned the BJP’s track record, noting that between 2005 and 2013, Congress governments had deported nearly 88,000 Bangladeshi nationals, while fewer than 10,000 were deported under the BJP in the past decade. He alleged that Shah later deleted a post linking Muslim population growth to infiltration after realising it “boomeranged” politically.

Analysis:
The controversy underscores how border security debates often turn into communal flashpoints in India’s political discourse. With elections approaching, experts suggest that both parties may intensify rhetoric to consolidate their core voters. Political observers also point out that genuine discussions on infiltration risk being overshadowed by polarising narratives, leaving key security and governance issues unaddressed.