Cover Story : “Mamata hand in glove with anti-social elements”

“Whether it was CPM or now TMC, all allowed infiltration to happen. They feel that the votes of infiltrators are more important than the domestic votes. Because of that illegal activities flourish. This must stop.”

BJP national secretary and incharge of West Bengal unit Sidharth Nath Singh feels that the Malda incident is a direct threat to national security and needs swift intervention by the Central government. In an exclusive interview to Organiser Sr Correspondent Pramod Kumar he says the State government is hands in glove with the anti-national elements and no action can be expected on their part. Excerpts:

• Why the BJP had to raise demands before its own government at the Centre?

On January 3, there was a mobilisation of 1.53 lakh Muslims on communal line at Kaliachak. Idara-e-Sharia, a fundamentalist Islamic outfit, mobilised the crowd by raising an incident which happened in Uttar Pradesh. The overtone of the mob was communal, but covertly they wanted to destroy certain documents related to smuggling of opium, drugs and fake currency lying in Kaliachak police station. Idara-e-Sharia reportedly has links with the banned terrorist outfits of Bangladesh. Since the issue was related to national security we raised it to the Home Minister.

• But there seems to be no action by Central government so far?

It is not true. The National Investigative Agency (NIA) is already working on fake currency menace in Malda and over 15 people have been arrested in this connection. The NIA, in December 2015, also discussed the fake currency issue with the Home Secretary of West Bengal. In fact, it was the pressure exerted by NIA which made these people to mobilise on communal line on January 3 and terrorise Hindu families. After our meeting with the Home Minister, it is reported, the intelligence bureau is inquiring the JD(U) MP Ghulam Rasool. BSF has also put pressure on the local
administration, which now is cooperating in busting the racket of illegal opium farming.

• Was it an isolated incident or there is a pattern behind it?

It is certainly not an isolated incident. There is a pattern behind this. Because of the vote bank politics, the TMC is allowing illegal activities to take place around the border districts. There is also illegal immigration and the infiltrators are being granted patronage by the TMC ruled administration. We have seen similar kinds of incidents in Naida, Hoogly and North 24 Paraganas districts. Most of them are illegal immigrants coming from Bangladesh. As part of their operation in villages they terrorise the Hindu families creating a fear among them and attack the administration, particularly the police. The State government allows this to happen and no action is taken against them.

• But CM Mamata Banerjee calls it merely a clash between the BSF and local people?

Mamata Banerjee is trying to divert the attention. If it was a clash between the locals and the BSF then the first logical question that comes is that why the mob went to the police station at Kaliachak and not to the barracks of the BSF. It is a diversion tactic being used by CM.

• Some people call it a communal incident, while some say it a criminal one. How do you see it?

I would say the overtone was communal. But the covert operation under the communal overtone was to destroy the documents and records, which relate to anti-Bharat activities. Therefore, it becomes criminal. So, both the things happened together.

• Now what do you expect from the State government?

We don’t expect anything from the State government, because they are hand in glove with the anti-social elements. We feel that the Central government should come heavily on the State government and further expose the anti-Bharat activities.

• But the Central government is not seen initiating any stern action. It has not even sought report from the Governor on it?

No it is not true. The Central
government immediately sought a report from the Governor. We hope the government would further seek the report.

• Do you see any role of demographic imbalance created in the region during the last several decades behind the incident?

Since it is a border district, demographic aspect does come in. Whether it was CPM or now TMC all allowed infiltration to happen. They feel that the votes of infiltrators are more important than the domestic votes. Because of that illegal activities flourish. This must stop.