Hours after the BJP attacked TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday, alleging that the state had become a ‘safe haven’ for terrorists under her rule, the West Bengal Chief Minister lashed out, saying that the accused in the Rameshwaram blast case were arrested because of the state police’s swift action.
Earlier in the day, the NIA arrested two key accused in the Bengaluru cafe blast, one of them being the mastermind behind the execution of the blast and the other who placed it inside the cafe from their hideout near Kolkata. The arrests sparked a political slugfest in the state, with the BJP accusing the TMC government of fostering an environment conducive to terrorism.
Also Read: Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast case: NIA arrests mastermind, bomber from hideout near Kolkata
On March 1, an IED explosion shook a cafe situated on ITPL Road in Brookefield, Bengaluru. Following the incident, the NIA assumed control of the investigation on March 3.
In response to the arrests, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took to his official platform on X, claiming that West Bengal had become a “safe haven” for terrorists under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership.
“NIA detains two chief suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and accomplice Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa, from Kolkata. Both likely belong to the ISIS cell in Shivamogga, Karnataka. West Bengal, unfortunately, under Mamata Banerjee, has become a safe haven for terrorists,” Malviya said in a post on ‘X’.”
Also Read: NIA detains suspected accomplice of Rameshwaram Cafe blast accused in Ballari
Mamata Banerjee vs BJP
While addressing a public rally in Cooch Behar, Banerjee hit out at the BJP, stating that the accused in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast were apprehended from Purba Medinipur in a joint operation conducted by the West Bengal Police and central intelligence agencies.
“Heard one BJP leader saying that a bomb blast took place in Bangalore. The accused are from Karnataka, not from here. They were hiding in Bengal for two hours and in two hours our police managed to nab them. And they are saying that Bengal is not safe?” She also named states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat and Bihar.
Banerjee further blamed the BJP for spreading misinformation about the state and accused the party of misusing central agencies while depriving all political parties of a fair electoral environment.
Meanwhile, the BJP in West Bengal also weighed in, stating that the NIA’s recent actions demonstrate that the state has transformed into a “haven for terrorists.”
Taking a swipe at Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, the BJP remarked, “Bobby Hakim’s chilling comparison to ‘mini Pakistan’ finds validation as Mamata Banerjee’s leniency emboldens criminals. The time for decisive action against this culture of impunity is now!”
In 2016, Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim, also known as Bobby Hakim, sparked controversy after he described Kolkata’s Garden Reach area as “mini-Pakistan” in an interview with a Pakistani newspaper.
West Bengal Police reacts
The West Bengal Police also took to the social media platform X to counter @amitmalviya’s claims, stating, “Contrary to the claims made by @amitmalviya, the fact is that, two suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case have been arrested from Purba Medinipur in a JOINT operation by the West Bengal Police and the Central Intelligence Agencies.”
“The proactive role of WBP in the matter has been officially acknowledged by the Central Agencies. West Bengal has NEVER been a safe haven for terrorists and the state police will continue to remain ever-vigilant in keeping its people safe from nefarious activities,” the state police further said.