'Jo hamare saath, hum unke saath': BJP's new slogan finally lifts veil off its 'sabka sath' charade

Rahul Sinha, a BJP MP from West Bengal, complimented Hindu voters of the state for disproving the myth that no political change in the state was possible without securing the votes of Muslims. He was addressing a media briefing at the party office. At the same time, in a video circulating on social media a newly elected BJP MLA is overheard declaring at a public meeting that he would not even attest welfare scheme certificates for Muslims.

'Jo hamare saath, hum unke saath' [Those who are with us, we are with them], he declared upturning BJP’s slogan ‘Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas’.

The name of the MLA is being withheld because we have not been able to verify the authenticity of this particular video, although similar statements have been made by other BJP leaders.

Muslims in the state and the women who failed the SIR test and were dropped from the voters’ list face the prospect of losing out on welfare schemes.

Welfare minister Agnimitra Paul hinted at this possibility while confirming that BJP’s Annapurna Bhandar scheme will replace Mamata Banerjee’s Lakkhi Bhandar scheme from June, 2026 with a cash transfer of Rs three thousand a month. The scheme is unlikely to remain uniform and restrictive conditions are expected, said sources in the government. 

Paul said the government will ascertain whether beneficiaries of the scheme were genuine citizens and claimed that people who were dead or “not Indian citizens” should not be allowed to continue receiving the benefits.  Her remarks triggered criticism from the opposition, which accused the BJP government of linking welfare access to the controversial electoral revision process conducted before the Assembly election.

They recalled that chief minister Adhikari had insisted that no beneficiary would be deprived and that all existing welfare schemes would continue. The government’s early actions reveal a strategy aimed at weakening TMC networks in the state, they felt.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme is also set to replace the Sastho Saathi scheme of the TMC government, which has been stalled with both public and private hospitals refusing to honour the Sastho Saathi cards issued by the ousted government. Patients already in hospital and about to be discharged and new patients awaiting surgery or admission are both affected, TMC sources claimed.

Tuesday also saw Kolkata Police arresting a language activist Garga Chatterjee, ostensibly for posting erroneous messages about EVMs and strongrooms.

Chatterjee, a vocal proponent of the use of Bengali in public places, is known for defacing Hindi signboards and threatening non-Bengali residents, asking them to learn Bengali in the state. The arrest, announced at a press meet by Kolkata police, is seen as a symbolic gesture to warn other activists, TMC supporters and dissenters to fall in line.

Chatterjee, founder of an organisation called Bangla Pokkho, investigators alleged, had violated the Model Code of Conduct and cyber laws by spreading rumours and provoking tension.

Police Commissioner Ajay Nand said Chatterjee had ignored repeated summons before his arrest. “He was called twice and did not appear. “The police have taken suo motu action. Several of his posts targeted communities and reflected a divisive mindset,” Nand told reporters. The arrest sparked debate among civil society groups and opposition voices over freedom of expression and the handling of political criticism during elections.

With sweeping changes expected in the bureaucracy and the police in the coming days, the BJP government has also been swift in taking disciplinary action on complaints by BJP workers.

Police officers accused of assaulting BJP candidate Biswajit Pal shortly after the election results were declared, Baruipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Samar Dey and SI Sukumar Ruidas were suspended following allegations that Pal was beaten. A video footage circulating on social media appeared to show the police officers assaulting the BJP leader before placing him inside a vehicle.