West Bengal govt turning blind eye to jihadi elements taking shelter in state: BJP leaders

Majumdar said according to reports the arrested members of the banned outfit had even procured voter ID cards, passports and other documents in Murshidabad district and the police and state intelligence had 'failed' to track them.

Kolkata: Union minister and BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar on Wednesday voiced concern over reports of arrest of Ansar-al Islam Bangladesh activists in West Bengal and alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government has turned the state into a safe haven for jihadi elements from the neighbouring country.

Majumdar, who was talking to reporters at a ceremony to pay tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said according to reports the arrested members of the banned outfit had even procured voter ID cards, passports and other documents in Murshidabad district and the police and state intelligence had "failed" to track them.

"Due to the indifferent attitude of the Mamata Banerjee government, Islamist fundamentalists are setting up their bases in places like Murshidabad district of West Bengal, procuring genuine documents and indoctrinating youths in places like Murshidabad. The CM is busy pursuing her appeasement policy and taking no action against Islamic fundamentalists," Majumdar, Union Minister of State for Education, said.

"We are living in the most vulnerable situation in the state. Terrorists are being caught by inter-state STF forces from places like Murshidabad, and Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district. While we are talking about 'Sushan' (good governance) ushered in by Vajpayee ji when he was the PM, we are witnessing 'aposashan' (misgovernance) in West Bengal under the regime of Mamata Banerjee," he said.

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and BJP MLA from Nandigram, Suvendu Adhikari said Nandigram, "Jihadi activists are being aided by the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal to have their own shelter. The police and district administration are silent spectators." He alleged that the TMC-led government's appeasement policy may lead to an alarming situation of demographic profile change of population in certain border districts like Mursahabad and pockets of North 24 Parganas posing a threat to the country's security.

The situation has been aggravated by the recent developments in Bangladesh after the dislodging of the Sheikh Hasina government and rise of Islamist forces and the state government is indifferent to the threats, he said.

Eight suspected Ansar-al Islam Bangladesh activists were recently arrested by Assam police with support from West Bengal and Kerala counterparts.

Two of the eight - who were planning to carry on attacks on prominent Hindu leaders and planning to snap communication between Siliguri and northeastern states - were picked up from Murshidabad district. Inquiries revealed they had managed to procure all necessary documents to pose as citizens in recent years.