Bengal becoming safe haven for terrorists under TMC: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Kolkata, Oct 29: Firing a fresh salvo at the Mamata Banerjee government, opposition BJP on Wednesday charged that West Bengal was fast becoming a safe haven for terrorists and anarchists under the ruling TMC, which was raising concerns about national security.

On the eve of a visit by the party's central team to the state following alleged clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters in Birbhum district, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the TMC regime was being lethargic in dealing with anti-national activities.

The delegation, which comprises Naqvi and MPs Kirti Azad and Udit Raj along with the members of the party's state leadership, is set to visit Birbhum tomorrow where the clash between TMC and BJP supporters last Monday left three persons dead.

"It is unfortunate that Bengal, which led India's Independence movement, is now slowly becoming a safe haven for terrorists and anarchists under the TMC regime.

"The TMC is not at all serious and rather lethargic in meeting the challenge just for the sake of vote-bank politics," Naqvi told PTI.

The delegation will submit a full-fledged report about the incident to the party's central leadership. This will be the third visit to the state by a BJP central team since the Lok Sabha elections in May, in which the party won two seats in West Bengal.

Senior BJP leaders have alleged that the party's workers and leaders have been at the receiving end of TMC-sponsored terror in the state.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should deal with anti- national activities with a strong hand and her party workers and cadres should stop intimidating opposition party workers. The rule of violence and terror in Bengal is very shameful," Naqvi said.

PTI