Arrests in Bengaluru cafe blast case trigger political slugfest in Bengal

Kolkata, April 12 (IANS) A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal over the arrests of two accused in the Bengaluru cafe blast case as Mussavir Hussain Shazib and Abdul Mateen Taha hail from Kanthi in the East Midnapore district of the state. 

The two were arrested by the NIA on Friday.

The slugfest has been kicked off by the BJP’s information technology chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal Amit Malviya, who has claimed that the development reveals how West Bengal is becoming a haven for terrorists.

“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 ISIS cells in Shivamogga, Karnataka. West Bengal, unfortunately, under Mamata Banerjee, has become a safe haven for terrorists, Malviya said in a message posted on his official X handle.

However, Malviya’s comments were countered in an official statement issued by the West Bengal Police soon after his TX post went viral.

“Contrary to the claims made by Amit Malviya, 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 said in the state on Friday morning

Echoing Malviya, BJP’s state president in West Bengal Dr Sukanta Majumdar said that it is natural that terrorists will consider the state as a safe shelter since this is the only state where the central agency sleuths are attacked and beaten up severely whenever they try to take any action against any anti-national activities.

“In addition, the state police are initiating an investigation against those central agency sleuths based on counter FIRs with baseless charges. Naturally, such developments encourage anti-national elements,” said Majumdar.

The state general secretary of Trinamool Congress, Kunal Ghosh promptly reacted indirectly, hinting at the family of the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari who hails from Kanthi, where the arrests were made. However, Ghosh did not directly name the Adhikari family

“Let me ask BJP leaders one question. Where are the arrests made? It is Kanthi. We all know which family and BJP's main leader runs illegal activities from there. I urge the state agencies to investigate this matter to find out the Family's links in providing shelter to anti-national forces,” Ghosh said.

At the same time, he thanked the NIA for acknowledging the role of the state police in accomplishing the arrests.