Opinion How Operation Sindoor is shaping the political narrative of West Bengal
Opposition parties like the TMC are forced to walk a delicate tightrope: Adopting elements of Hindu symbolism to appeal to the majority community while simultaneously trying to maintain their secular credentials to avoid alienating minority voters
Hindutva is no longer merely an electoral tactic but a profound, long-term social reconstruction project. The TMC-BJP clash over "Operation Sindoor" exemplifies this tension. 
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The recent political warfare over Operation Sindoor in West Bengal has brought Mamata Banerjee’s political strategy under renewed scrutiny from the BJP. On June 1, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack, accusing Banerjee of opposing Operation Sindoor — India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack — solely to “appease the Muslim vote bank”. Shah’s critique went further, alleging that Banerjee’s stance insulted India’s “mothers and sisters” by undermining the cultural and religious significance of sindoor. This kind of framing by Shah seems to be an attempt to invoke Hindu cultural sensitivities and position the Opposition as disrespectful to Hindu traditions.
Shah also accused Banerjee of facilitating illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and fomenting “state-sponsored” Murshidabad riots. These statements aim to paint Banerjee as anti-national and pro-minority at the cost of Hindu interests.
The TMC was quick to refute these accusations, asserting its unwavering support for Operation Sindoor and emphasising Banerjee’s dedication to counter-terrorism efforts. As evidence, the TMC highlighted Banerjee’s nomination of her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, to a global anti-terrorism delegation. Banerjee criticised the BJP for politicising a sensitive national security operation, alleging that the name “Sindoor” was deliberately chosen for electoral gains, to capitalise on Hindu sentiments ahead of upcoming state assembly polls. This exchange highlights the high-stakes political manoeuvring, where national security issues are quickly absorbed into the broader narrative of Hindutva versus secularism.
Hindutva is no longer merely an electoral tactic but a profound, long-term social reconstruction project. The TMC-BJP clash over “Operation Sindoor” exemplifies this tension. This highlights the complex interplay of Hindutva, secularism, and elections. Shah’s efforts to equate criticism of certain aspects of Operation Sindoor to “minority appeasement” signal a larger political transformation: It is no longer an ideological tension between secularism and Hindutva; rather, it is a struggle between different versions of Hindutva. Any departure is marked as appeasement, if not anti-national. In the last few years, the TMC’s politics of “soft Hindutva” also indicates such a transition.
This strategy counters the BJP’s Hindu nationalist narrative while simultaneously maintaining its secular credentials. TMC’s approach is deeply strategic, rooted in Bengali cultural identity, and highly responsive to electoral necessities. Their engagement with Hindutva is intrinsically tied to Bengali Hindu traditions, with a particular emphasis on Durga Puja, a cornerstone of Bengali cultural life. Banerjee frequently emphasises local deities and rituals, a deliberate move to portray herself as a protector of Bengali culture against that of “outsiders”, a political moniker she commonly attributes to the BJP.
During the high-stakes 2021 assembly elections, she publicly recited the Chandi Path and visited multiple temples, reinforcing her Hindu identity and obliquely countering the BJP’s accusation of “Muslim appeasement”. The BJP’s perceived ignorance of Bengali traditions was emphasised with the assertion of the popular belief that Lord Ram worshipped Durga. This seemed to have dismantled the BJP’s singular focus on “Jai Shri Ram” slogans in Bengal. Beyond public displays, the TMC actively patronises local festivals, seeking grassroots legitimacy in spaces where the RSS has also intensified its presence.
Following the TMC’s poor performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party undertook significant initiatives to appeal to Hindu voters, including organising Brahmin Sammelans, providing allowances to Sanatan Brahmins, and financially supporting Durga Puja committees. Crucially, this outreach to Hindu voters was balanced with continued support for minority communities, evident in the announcement of stipends for Imams. The recent inauguration of the Jagannath temple is another significant move. It not only serves the Hindu Bengali devotees who have a strong sentiment for the deity, but also sends two key messages. Located at Purba Medinipur, home ground of Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, this temple sends a political message through its spatiality. And prioritisation of Jagannath over Ram gives a religious message of inclusive Hindutva.
Banerjee’s soft Hindutva, while effective, also faces newer challenges. The BJP is adept at leveraging issues of national security and cultural nationalism to its advantage, particularly in the lead-up to the 2026 state assembly elections. The Operation Sindoor controversy provides the BJP with a potent tool to frame the upcoming political contest as a choice between national security and “minority appeasement.”
This clash underscores the enduring tension between electoral pragmatism and ideological purity in India’s political landscape, which is increasingly dominated by the Hindutva narrative. Opposition parties like the TMC are forced to walk a delicate tightrope: Adopting elements of Hindu symbolism to appeal to the majority community while simultaneously trying to maintain their secular credentials to avoid alienating minority voters.
The writer teaches anthropology at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Govt College, Kolkata and is the author of the book Democracy and Social Cleavage in India
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