West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded to BJP’s accusation that the state had become a “safe haven” for terrorists, following the arrest of a suspect in the Bengaluru blast in Kolkata. BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya alleged that West Bengal, under Mamata Banerjee, had become a “safe haven” for terrorists.
Banerjee, addressing a rally in Cooch Behar, refuted these claims, stating, “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?”
The West Bengal Police also responded to Malviya’s statement on social media platform X, saying, “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 added.
Meanwhile, the BJP in West Bengal maintained its stance, asserting that NIA’s crackdown confirmed the state’s status as a “sanctuary for terrorists.” They criticized Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, known as Bobby Hakim, referencing his past remark about Kolkata’s Garden Reach area as “mini-Pakistan,” and suggested that Banerjee’s leniency emboldens criminals.
In 2016, Firhad Hakim faced criticism for his remarks about Garden Reach in an interview with a Pakistani publication.