ISF’s Naushad Siddique working at the behest of BJP, claims Trinamool

On Friday, a court at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas remanded Mr. Siddique in six days of police custody.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Mayor of Kolkata Firhad Hakim in Kolkata. File photo | Photo Credit: PTI

The Trinamool Congress on Friday alleged that arrested Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Naushad Siddique was working at the behest of Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP). Senior Trinamool Congress leaders Firhad Hakim and Kunal Ghosh held a press conference on Friday alleging that Mr. Siddique had received money from the BJP.

On Friday, a court at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas remanded Mr. Siddique in six days of police custody. The lone MLA of Indian Secular Front ( ISF) was arrested on January 21 after violence broke out at Bhangar and Esplanade and several police personnel sustained injuries.

“We used to call AIMIM from Hyderabad a B- team of BJP. But it is so unfortunate that we have to call Naushad and the ISF B- team of the BJP,” Firhad Hakim said. The State’s PWD Minister also alleged that huge funds were transferred in Mr. Siddique before the 2021 Assembly polls.

“We are here because some facts have come to the light, after Kolkata Police has made some startling claims. We want to know the source of the money in Naushad Siddiqui’s bank account? And these are not claims that have been made by us, it is Kolkata Police that has put these facts in the public domain,” a press statement by the Trinamool Congress said,quoting Firhad Hakim and Kunal Ghosh.

Mr. Ghosh also alleged that the ISF MLA and BJP leaders also exchanged some messages and raised questions as to why an ISF leader whose party was in an alliance with Left parties and Congress spoke to BJP. The Trinamool leaders also targeted BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, and said that Mr. Adhikari who had openly said that he does not care about the 30% minority votes, is today claiming to be a leader of the Muslims.

After Mr. Siddique’s arrest Mr. Adhikari had urged ISF leaders to join forces with BJP to fight Trinamool. The arrest of the ISF MLA along with his supporters has become a political issue with several Muslim leaders including peers of Furfura Sharif -a prominent religious pilgrimage in south Bengal, targeting the Trinamool over the development.

“BJP leaders are trying to confuse Muslim voters. Instead of giving misleading statements, first they should announce NRC and CAA will not be implemented. They must apologise for creating such issues. In fact, BJP is not a friend of any religion like Hindus, Muslims, Christians,” Mr. Ghosh said on social media.