Kolkata, Apr 30 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday claimed that despite being invited, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to attend the Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya just to "please the illegal infiltrators" in her state.

Addressing a rally at Katwa in East Burdwan district, the Union Home Minister said, "Mamata Banerjee was invited to attend the Ram Mandir inauguration. But she did not attend because she wanted to please the illegal infiltrators in the state, who are the principal vote bank of her party."

He also said that the BJP winning 18 seats from West Bengal became a crucial factor in enabling the inauguration of Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

"Uncertainties were prevailing over Ram Mandir for the last 70 years. But the people of Bengal gifted BJP with 18 seats in 2019 and Narendra Modi became the prime minister for the second term. Within five years, Ram Mandir was inaugurated," he said.

The union minister also questioned the rationale behind Mamata Banerjee's opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

"She is opposing CAA just to please her dedicated vote bank among the illegal infiltrators. At Sandeshkhali, a reign of terror was unleashed by such an illegal infiltrator where even the women were subjected to harassment. It is unfortunate such things happened in a state which has a woman Chief Minister," the Union Home Minister said.

"Several BJP leaders and workers were killed in West Bengal. Today I promise that once BJP comes to power in West Bengal, the killers will be severely punished. The state government should be ashamed that they are implicating BJP workers in false cases," the Union Home Minister said.