Paschim Medinipur (West Bengal): A BJP-TMC slugfest over the arms and ammunition seizure from Sandeshkhali by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) generated heat and dust amid the Lok Sabha election in the state. Bharatiya Janata Party turned the heat on Trinamool Congress government with the party candidate from Medinipur, Agnimitra Paul questioning the role of state police's role in this matter.
"Was the state police sleeping till now?" she asked and added that CM Mamata Banerjee is in support of terror spreaders in the state. "Mamata Banerjee is the police minister, what her police personnel was doing? sleeping? Today we came to know why ED and CBI were not permitted to enter in Sandeshkhali. They were thinking that they would spread terrorism by using these arms and ammunition. The people of West Bengal will give a befitting reply on June 4," she added. She also added that TMC should be banned like the Popular Front of India (PFI) as it is a militant organisation.
"Mamata Banerjee is in support of all the terror spreaders, thieves and cheating people. Today we are ashamed that West Bengal produces terrorists. Our leader has rightly said that the TMC party should be banned like PFI has been banned because it is a militant organisation that promotes terrorism," Paul said.
Earlier, speaking to media persons on Saturday, Dilip Ghosh, the BJP's Lok Sabha nominee from the Purba Bardhaman constituency, said the people would rise against the TMC if it tried to hold on to power despite the state falling to the free-run of 'terrorists' and 'goons'. This comes as CBI conducted searches at two premises in Sandeshkhali, in connection with the case related to violence against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, and recovered a large number of arms and ammunition including foreign-made postal and revolvers. The searches were conducted in Sandeshkhali and the North 24 Parganas district. The team recovered: Three foreign-made revolvers, one Indian revolver, one Colt official police revolver, one foreign-made pistol, one country-made pistol, 120 09 mm bullets, 50 .45 calibre cartridges, 120 09 mm calibre cartridges, 50 .380 cartridges and eight .32 cartridges, the agency stated.
TMC alleges BJP-CBI-NSG conspiracy
On Saturday, The Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrote a letter to the EC criticising the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) raid at Sandeshkhali in connection with attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers.
The ruling party alleged that the the ED deliberately attempted to tarnish the party’s reputation amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. TMC also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring with the CBI and the National Security Guard (NSG).
“In West Bengal, the electorate was scheduled to vote in three Parliamentary constituencies, which are Darjeeling, Raiganj, and Balurghat. While elections were going on, the CBI deliberately carried out an unscrupulous raid at an empty location in Sandeshkhali. Media reports suggest that the CBI called in additional forces, including the bomb squad of the National Security Guard (NSG). It has also been reported that arms and ammunition have been recovered from a house during such raids,” the TMC letter read.
It further alleged that the CBI didn’t inform the state government or the local law enforcement authorities prior to executing the raid. According to TMC, despite knowing that state police having a fully operational bomb disposal unit, the CBI involved bomb squad for the operation.
Central agencies raid at Sandeshkhali
The CBI lauched crackdown on two premises of Sheikh Shahjahan, the main accused in the Sandeshkhali violence, regarding the January attack on an ED team by a mob allegedly instigated by the now-suspended TMC leader.
“The CBI seized three foreign-made revolvers, one foreign-made pistol, one Indian revolver, one Colt official-issue police revolver, one country-made pistol, 120 nine-mm bullets, 50 cartridges of .45 calibre, 50 cartridges of .380, and eight cartridges of .32,” reads a statement from the central agency.
BJP vs TMC
The BJP co-in charge of West Bengal Amit Malviya took to X seeking explanation from CM Mamata Banerjee about the seizure. “Mamata Banerjee, as Home Minister of West Bengal, must explain why is the state seeing a huge stockpile of illegal weapons? It is dangerous. The NSG has been deployed, but the WB government has approached the Supreme Court to preclude the CBI from investigating the matter. The arms haul is nothing but an act of terror, waging war against the nation. But the question is, Why is Mamata Banerjee trying to protect terrorists who have stocked firearms in such large quantities? ”Malviya wrote.
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