Mamata ignoring national security for vote bank politics: Amit Shah

Burdwan (WB), Jan 20: BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of not properly probing the Burdwan blast linked to JMB for the sake of vote bank politics and focusing on trying to save her Saradha scam 'tainted' leaders instead of governing the state.

"Bengal is a bordering state and infiltration from Bangladesh is a problem. But here is a government which gives priority to vote bank politics over national security. They are allowing infiltration from Bangladesh," Shah told a rally here in Burdwan district kicking off BJP's membership drive in West Bengal.

Noting that the Burdwan blast last October exposed the state's vulnerability to terror strikes, he said it would not have happened if the TMC government had taken action when an explosion had earlier occurred at Garden Reach in Kolkata in 2013.

Shah also reminded people that the TMC government had opposed an NIA probe into the Burdwan blast, throwing a question, "Will you allow such a state government which gives priority to vote bank politics over national security?" Turning to the Saradha chit fund scam, he alleged that Banerjee was more interested in trying to save her scam-tainted party leaders than developing the state.

He warned Banerjee that she cannot stop his party's 'vijay rath' (victory march) in the state by "unleashing atrocities" on its workers saying, "The more you inflict torture on us, the more BJP will grow in the state. You cannot stop BJP's growth in Bengal now. If you want reply to violence with violence, then let me tell you that BJP is ready for it."

He said Bengal was very much on BJP's radar, claiming, "After Delhi and Bihar, a BJP government is going to be installed in the state."

PTI