Highlighting the incident of the gherao of judicial officers in West Bengal’s Malda district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (April 5, 2026) said the incident was a reflection of “Trinamool Congress-sponsored maha jungle raj”.

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Mr. Modi said the Trinamool government does not consider any constitutional institution to be of significance and the incident in Malda was a reflection of that.

“The law-abiding citizens were shocked by the manner how judicial officers were held hostage in Malda. What kind of a government it this that even judges are not safe. How can you expect safety of common people from such a government... The situation is so bad that the highest court of the country had to intervene,” Mr. Modi said while addressing a public meeting in Cooch Behar.

Seven judicial officers, who were engaged in adjudication process of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), were surrounded by a mob at Mothabari in Malda on April 1, 2026. They were later rescued by the police after several hours. Thirty-five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident and National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken up investigation of the case.

The prime accused in the case Moffakerul Islam, who was arrested by West Bengal police, had contested the 2021 Assembly polls from Itahar as a candidate of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.

During his address, the first since Assembly polls have been announced in the State, the Prime Minister launched the BJP’s campaign and said the Trinamool was opposing SIR and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to protect infiltrators. “Under TMC rule, there has been a dangerous demographic change in Bengal’s border areas. These infiltrators get direct protection from the TMC’s syndicate,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the electors in the upcoming polls have to choose between ‘bhoy’ (fear) of the Trinamool and the BJP’s ‘bharosa’ (trust). “No matter how much TMC goons try to terrorise you on polling day, you must trust the law. I have full faith in the Election Commission. There will be elections that are free, fair and without fear,” he said.

Raising allegations of corruption against the Trinamool, the Prime Minister warned that after the results of Assembly polls are declared, every act of alleged corruption and violence under the Trinamool will be investigated. “I assure you that after the elections, every one of their sins will be accounted for. No matter how powerful the criminal may be, justice will be done this time,” he said.

Cooch Behar, located in north Bengal, has nine Assembly seats and goes to polls in first phase on April 23. The BJP, which is considered to have a stronger presence in north Bengal than south Bengal, had won seven out of nine seats in 2021 polls. However, the BJP lost the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat to Trinamool Congress in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.