Following the recovery of arms and ammunition from the residence of Abu Taleb, a relative of ruling TMC leader Hafizul Khan, by a combined team of the CBI and the Bomb Squad of the elite National Security Guard (NSG) from the Sarberia area of Sandeshkhali, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh voiced concern on Saturday, stating that the state has become a “safe haven for terrorists.”
It has emerged that Hafizul is an associate of expelled TMC figure Sheikh Shahjahan, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the attack on an ED team in Sandeshkhali during a raid on his property in connection with a ration ‘scam’ and is also a key suspect in instances of violence against women and land encroachment in the region.
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Addressing the media on Saturday, Ghosh, the BJP’s candidate for the Lok Sabha from the Purba Bardhaman constituency, expressed his dismay over the situation, emphasizing that the people would not tolerate the TMC retaining power while the state succumbs to the influence of ‘terrorists’ and ‘hoodlums’.
“The state of affairs in Bengal is alarming, with the need to deploy CISF, CRPF, and BSF personnel merely for conducting elections. Even CISF personnel are being deployed to safeguard opposition leaders. This indicates a dire situation where lawlessness prevails, and law enforcement agencies struggle to maintain order. Central commandos are called upon to restore order, suggesting that the state has fallen into the hands of criminals and terrorists. Moreover, it has become a haven for corruption and plundering of public resources. Despite this, the TMC seems determined to cling to power. However, the people will not stand for it and will rise against them,” Ghosh remarked.
Stressing the significance of the recovery of arms and ammunition in Sandeshkhali as a threat to national security, the former BJP state chief urged the central government to intervene, stating, “When Shahjahan was associated with the CPI(M), he was seen brandishing pistols on the streets. Under the TMC regime, he openly carried an AK-47. He and his associates had access to sophisticated weapons from abroad. The discovery of weapons in a border area like Sandeshkhali highlights the potential threat to national security. Those who attacked the ED and NIA are terrorists and should be behind bars.”
Furthermore, Ghosh alleged that Shahjahan facilitated the entry of Rohingyas into the country, minority Muslims from Myanmar, and assisted them in settling in various parts of India. “Shahjahan used to bring Rohingyas across the border and provide them with shelter and provisions. He was a member of the Zilla Parishad and funded their settlement. This entire operation was orchestrated with foreign backing, indicating an international conspiracy,” he asserted.
Amid the second phase of polling for the Lok Sabha in the state, the CBI, along with NSG bomb squads, conducted searches at two locations in Sandeshkhali on Saturday in connection with the prior attack on ED officials and discovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including foreign-made pistols and revolvers. The searches were conducted in Sandeshkhali and the North 24 Parganas district.
