he Communist Party of India (Marxist) has launched a scathing attack on both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of jointly creating conditions that allowed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to strengthen its presence in West Bengal. CPI(M) leaders have claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s governance style has directly contributed to the RSS's growing influence in the state.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, CPI(M) State Secretary Mohammed Salim said, “The RSS did not grow in Bengal in a vacuum. Its expansion has been made possible under the political and administrative environment nurtured by Mamata Banerjee and her government. Her so-called opposition to the BJP is a political performance, while in reality, her governance has created space for Hindutva forces.”
According to the CPI(M), the decline of the Left’s presence in Bengal over the last decade, combined with the polarizing politics of the TMC and BJP, has created fertile ground for the RSS to run ideological campaigns, organize shakhas, and influence educational institutions and cultural events.
The party also alleged that the TMC government has failed to actively resist the RSS's presence in rural areas, especially in districts such as Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and Purulia. “What we see today is the result of calculated inaction and sometimes even silent cooperation between state officials and right-wing groups,” said Salim.
The CPI(M) claims that this ideological infiltration is not only reshaping the political narrative but is also leading to social polarization, which poses a threat to the secular fabric of the state. The Left party has urged civil society, student groups, and secular organizations to resist what they call the "soft saffronization" of Bengal.
The BJP, on its part, has dismissed the CPI(M)’s accusations, stating that the party is simply frustrated over its diminishing political relevance. “The people of Bengal are choosing alternatives, and the CPI(M) is trying to stay relevant by blaming others,” said a BJP spokesperson.
Meanwhile, TMC leaders refuted the CPI(M)’s charges and accused the Left of playing the “BJP’s B-team” in Bengal politics. A senior TMC leader remarked, “Our fight against the BJP and RSS is clear and firm. It’s ironic that the CPI(M), which lost people’s trust, is now lecturing us on resistance.”
As Bengal moves toward another election cycle, ideological clashes between the Left, Right, and Centre continue to dominate the political landscape.
