Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various projects of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Siliguri, West Bengal, and interacted with the personnel. On the occasion, West Bengal Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari, Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP Shri Raju Bista, Union Home Secretary Shri Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Shri Mahesh Dixit, Secretary, Border Management, Dr. Rajendra Kumar, and SSB Director General Shri Sanjay Singhal, among several other senior officers, were present.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the occasion of the country's 80^th Independence Day on August 15^th was very special. He said that, for the first time, after completing 150 years since the composition of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ and 80 years of the country’s independence, the entire rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ was heard by the people of the country and the entire world from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He said that Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s immortal composition ‘Vande Mataram’ not only gave momentum to our freedom movement but also gave it a vision of what independent India should be like. Shri Shah said that Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s composition made it clear that independent India must move forward by embracing cultural nationalism. Union Home Minister said that even after the country was partitioned at the time of Independence, ‘Vande Mataram’ was never wholeheartedly accepted by the main opposition party. Keeping public sentiments in mind, ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung in the Parliament and everyone would stand, but it was saddening to see that the entire song was not sung. He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs recently got a Bill passed by the Parliament and decided to make the complete rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ a part of government programmes, which is a historic step. This will ensure that future generations, including our children and youth, receive the immortal message of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay Ji. He said that if the complete ‘Vande Mataram’ is sung every day in schools, children will certainly be imbued with a strong sense of patriotism.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has announced the ‘Saptadhara’—the seven streams of strength that will empower the nation. He said that the Prime Minister has called upon the youth of the country to connect with seven key streams—manufacturing power, defence strength, agriculture and food processing, green and blue economy, technology and innovation, Gati Shakti (Infrastructure), and India’s soft power—and participate in nation-building. He added that Prime Minister Modi has also set a target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and launching eight new semiconductor plants over the next three years. He said that, on the strength of these seven streams, when India celebrates the centenary of its Independence, the country will be at the forefront in every field across the world.

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the previous Chief Minister of West Bengal never attended the programmes of SSB and BSF. He said that SSB, BSF and ITBP are not agencies of any political party or government, but forces that protect the borders, and all political parties should stand with these personnel. Shri Shah said that preventing infiltration and securing West Bengal and the country is our resolve, and fencing is the strongest measure for this. Praising West Bengal Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari, he said that ever since he assumed office, the Centre has received immediate and all possible cooperation from the state government for border security. Shri Shah said that within just 45 days of the formation of the government in West Bengal, the Government of India received 1,129 acres of land for the BSF and SSB. He said that these were parcels of land that the Government of India had been seeking since 2014, but the previous government in Bengal had not provided them. He said that the people of West Bengal have elected a government that gives priority to national security.

Shri Amit Shah said that the foundation stone for the administrative building of SSB’s Frontier Headquarters in Siliguri was laid today, which will be constructed over 80 acres. He informed that the foundation stone for the 19^th Battalion in Thakurganj, the e-foundation stone for the 12^th Battalion in Kishanganj, and the foundation stone for the Transit Camp at New Jalpaiguri were also laid today. Shri Shah said that new projects worth a total of ₹189 crore have been initiated here today to provide administrative and residential facilities for SSB personnel. He further said that ever since he became the Home Minister, the requirements of the security forces—whether the SSB, BSF or Assam Rifles—have remained among the topmost priorities on the agenda of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the SSB has a glorious history. From 1965 onwards, the SSB expanded its presence to Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir and Tripura, Meghalaya in 1975, Sikkim in 1976, Rajasthan and Gujarat in 1985, and Nagaland, Mizoram and South Bengal in 1989. He said that wherever the SSB was deployed, its personnel performed commendably and worked tirelessly, day and night, to ensure security. He said that after the Kargil War, when the ‘One Border, One Force’ policy was adopted, the SSB was entrusted with the most challenging task of guarding the open borders with friendly neighbouring countries such as Nepal and Bhutan. Since 2001, the SSB has been deployed along the 1,751-kilometre-long India-Nepal border and, since 2004, along nearly 700 kilometres of the India-Bhutan border. He said that when a border is fenced, the responsibility of the force guarding it becomes somewhat easier. However, the SSB is tasked with monitoring unfenced borders, which is the most challenging assignment. He said that he often states that the personnel of the SSB have one of the most difficult responsibilities because they are deployed along open borders. Shri Shah said that the entire country respects the SSB personnel for their coordination, dedication to safeguarding the nation, and contribution towards strengthening India’s cultural ties with both friendly neighbouring countries.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s government has fully recognised the strategic importance of the Siliguri Corridor from the perspective of national security. He said that this highly sensitive and strategically important corridor connects eight states. Three international borders—with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh—adjoin the Siliguri Corridor, and its security is intrinsically linked to the security of the nation. Union Home Minister said that the Modi government has strengthened national security by securing the Siliguri Corridor through a triangular grid. He said that in this densely populated corridor, the government has increased its awareness, presence and dominance. He added that the security forces have participated in various operations and exercises from time to time, but one gap remained. He said that to fully strengthen and secure the Siliguri Corridor, agencies of the Government of India required 560 acres of land, which the previous government in West Bengal had not provided. He said that the Government of India commends West Bengal Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari for granting in-principle approval for the allocation of 560 acres of land. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that security forces alone cannot ensure the security of any region. He said that increasing population, migration and tourism in an area helps strengthen our presence there. He said that the Delhi-Siliguri corridor is also included among the 7 high-speed rail corridors approved in the 2026-27 Budget, which will enable travel from Delhi to Siliguri in just a few hours within 2-3 years. He said that we have transformed the Siliguri and Jalpaiguri stations under the Amrit Bharat Scheme.

Shri Amit Shah said that through the Vibrant Villages Programme, we are not only connecting villages but also working to establish a strong emotional connect with the Indians living in these villages. He said that the scheme, with an expenditure of ₹6,839 crore, is of great significance for the Bangladesh and Bhutan borders. He said that the government will take forward its concept of safe, secure and vibrant land borders. He added that ₹190 crore has been invested here today to improve the facilities for our personnel and strengthen the country’s defence capabilities. This will provide comfort to the minds, bodies and spirits of the personnel and give them a better working environment.

During his address Home Minister paid tribute to renowned Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh on their death anniversaries. He said that Ustad Bismillah Khan played a significant role in taking Indian music to the global stage. He promoted ragas and raginis and worked to popularise India’s rich tradition of classical music. Speaking about former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, the Home Minister said that during his tenure as Chief Minister, he made efforts to undertake the administrative reorganisation of the state for the first time and made a significant contribution to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

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