The arrest of two primary suspects linked to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case from West Bengal has sparked a heated political debate between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing an election rally in Dinhata, Cooch Behar, countered accusations that her administration had allowed Bengal to become a “safe haven for terrorists.” Banerjee, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, said, “The men (who were arrested) are not residents of Bengal… they were hiding out here. They were arrested in two hours.”
“The BJP cannot stand it if there is peace in Bengal,” the Trinamool chief alleged.
She challenged the crowd, “Is Uttar Pradesh safe? Is Rajasthan safe? Is Bihar safe?”
Senior Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh also rebuffed the BJP’s allegations, highlighting the collaborative efforts between the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the state police. “The NIA’s own press release acknowledges the active support of the state police in apprehending the suspects,” Ghosh stated.
Banerjee’s heated response was prompted by a post from the BJP’s Amit Malviya on X (formerly Twitter), on the arrests of Shazeb and Taha, in which he said “both likely belong to ISIS cell in Karnataka”.
“NIA detains two chief suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and accomplice Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taha, from Kolkata. Both likely belong to ISIS cell in Shivamogga, Karnataka. West Bengal, unfortunately, under Mamata Banerjee, has become a safe haven for terrorists,” said BJP’s Bengal co-in-charge Amit Malviya on X.
The men arrested this morning — Mussavir Hussain Shazeb and Abdul Matheen Taha — are believed to be key figures in the bomb blast that took place in Bengaluru last month. While Taha allegedly managed logistics, Shazeb is suspected of planting the bomb. They were traced to Kanthi, also known as Contai, a small city 180 km from Kolkata in Purba Medinipur district.
Kanthi is believed to be the stronghold of BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, who defected from Banerjee’s party just weeks before the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election. He then defeated Banerjee in the prestigious Nandigram seat.
Another Trinamool leader and Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale wrote on X, “Incidentally, where in West Bengal were the 2 terror suspects arrested (in a joint WB Police-NIA operation) from? From Kanthi (Contai). Why isn’t BJP’s bot operator telling us which leader’s “stronghold” is Kanthi & who is the sitting MP from that seat? Very mysterious especially considering a BJP worker was also previously detained & questioned in this same case.”
Last week, the NIA interrogated a leader of the BJP city unit in Thirthahalli, Shivamogga in connection with the blast. The BJP leader is believed to have links with two individuals from a local mobile shop, who were earlier questioned by the NIA.
Last month Muzammil Shareef, who allegedly extended logistical support to the Shazeb and Taha, was taken into custody.
The blast at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1 injured 10 people. The café reopened just eight days later, with enhanced security measures, including the installation of metal detectors.