BJP accuses TMC govt of protecting terrorists

New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal of 'protecting' terrorists and rapists, alleging the state appears to be on the brink of anarchy.

BJP's national spokesperson Prem Shukla hit out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a press conference, a day after the CBI seized weapons, including a police service revolver and foreign-made firearms, during searches at two premises of an associate of now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, a key accused in the Sandeshkhali case.

While goons in Sandeshkhali robbed women of their 'mangalsutra', 'rapists' like Sheikh were given protection and the seizure of such arms, including a police weapon, shows that the state police were nursing such criminals, he alleged.

Sheikh, a former TMC strongman, has been accused of running a ring of local thugs who molested women and grabbed land.

Noting that the state government has moved the Supreme Court against the Kolkata High Court's order to transfer the probe to the CBI, Shukla claimed West Bengal appears to be on the brink of anarchy as the ruling dispensation has sided with those accused of rape and terrorism.

Banerjee questions raids by the probe agency and allegedly justified those who attacked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials but she offered no word of support to the CBI, he told reporters.

The TMC claims to stand in support of 'Ma, Mati, Manush' but has instead provided safety to criminals like Sheikh, he said.

Does Banerjee now have any moral right to appeal in the apex court after the seizure of weapons, Shukla asked, slamming the opposition INDIA bloc parties for their silence on the Sandeshkhali issue.

At the press conference, another BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following the Delhi High Court's critical remarks on the continuation of Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister despite being in jail.

The High Court on Friday pulled up the city government over the issue of non-supply of books to the children studying in the MCD schools, saying the continuation of Kejriwal even after his arrest puts political interest over national interest.

The court said the Delhi government was 'interested in appropriation of power'.

The court's observations came after the Delhi government's counsel said the matter requires certain approvals from Kejriwal, who is in custody in the alleged money laundering case in connection with the 2021 excise policy.

Poonawalla said mockingly that Kejriwal has travelled a long journey from advocating 'swaraj' (self-rule) to being arrested in a scam involving 'sharab' (liquor) and standing with opposition leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad Yadav after once advocating for their arrest.

He asked when Kejriwal will resign and stop playing with people's future, as he took a swipe at him over promoting his wife Sunita Kejriwal in politics after speaking against family politics all these years.