BALURGHAT: Bhupatinagar and
Sandeshkhali
resonated to home minister
Amit Shah
's first rally of poll season in Bengal Wednesday, as he fired a fusillade at CM Mamata Banerjee, questioning her alleged keenness to protect criminals at both places "for some votes".
"In 2022, three people died in a bomb blast at Bhupatinagar (in East Midnapore). Those behind the blast must be put behind bars.
But when
NIA
went there for a probe in compliance with a
Calcutta HC
order, Didi registered a case against them (NIA) to protect perpetrators," Shah said in South Dinajpur's Balurghat.
A vehicle ferrying NIA officials faced a mob attack while arresting two of the blast suspects last Saturday, triggering an FIR by
West Bengal Police
accusing some in the team of assaulting villagers and molesting women.
"Didi should be ashamed of defending culprits. But rest assured, all those involved in the blast will be brought to book," Shah said.
Pointing to the women in the crowd, the home minister said BJP wanted justice for "mothers and sisters" in Sandeshkhali, where ex-TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides allegedly perpetrated atrocities for years. "Didi, you are a woman and a CM, yet you are playing politics over Sandeshkhali. For years, atrocities took place right under your nose, but when ED went to arrest TMC goons, they were pelted with stones. For the sake of appeasement, you are protecting the criminals of Sandeshkhali," he said.
Shah told the gathering that if the electorate voted for TMC candidates, Sandeshkhalis would sprout elsewhere in Bengal. He accused Mamata of "rolling out the red carpet for infiltrators" while "misleading people of Bengal on CAA".
"She is saying that if you register (under CAA), you will lose your citizenship. But Didi, you don't know that these people are not citizens."
Shah urged refugees from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities to apply for citizenship without fear. "There will be no case against you," he added.
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