The arrest of six alleged al-Qaeda operatives by the NIA in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district early on Saturday evoked strong reactions from the Opposition political parties who raised strong questions about the law and order.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar targeted the DGP saying “his ostrich stance” is “far from reality” and “cause of worry”.
“How far distanced is DGP @WBPolice from reality is cause of worry. His ‘Ostrich Stance’ is very disturbing. Appreciate (the) role of policemen in general-they r (are) working in difficult situations. Problem is with those at helm who r ( are) unmindful of conduct and r ( are) politically guided,” Mr. Dhankar tweeted.
The Governor said the DGP had responded to him by saying, “West Bengal police firmly adheres to the path laid down by law. There is no discrimination for or against anyone in an extra legal sense.”
Mr. Dhankhar said “State has become home to illegal bomb making that has potential to unsettle democracy”. “Police @MamataOfficial busy in carrying out political errands and taking on Opposition. Those at helm @WBpolice cannot escape their accountability for this alarming decline in law and order.”
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh and State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also targeted the State government. While Mr. Chowdhury said the development “is a matter of grave concern”, Mr. Ghosh said every time such a module is busted, the name of West Bengal crops up. He referred to the Kharagarh blast of 2014 in Bardhaman where investigation by the NIA has revealed a plot by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to destabilise the government in there.
The NIA on Saturday said it has arrested nine people for having links to a Pakistan-sponsored al-Qaeda module from West Bengal and Kerala. Six persons were arrested in West Bengal and three in Kerala.
