Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Monday alleged that Union Minister Shantanu Thakur was issuing official passes for smugglers at the Indo-Bangladesh border. Moitra shared an image of the “pass” on X, alleging that Thakur allowed the smuggling of 3 kg of beef. The purported official letterhead on a pass is addressed to the 85th Battalion of Border Security Force (BSF) allowing for “transporting various materials”.

“The Union Minister has printed forms on official letterhead to @BSF_India 85BN issuing “passes” for smugglers on the Indo-Bangla border. In this case, for allowing 3 kgs of beef,” the Krishnanagar MP wrote in her post.

Refuting the charge, Thakur told The Indian Express that he did issue the letterheads, but it was only to help civilians at the India-Bangladesh border area transport various goods and not to smuggle beef. These letterheads were issued to save people from harassment at the hands of BSF, which has a checkpoint near the international border, he said.

“Mahua Moitra is misleading the people by creating false propaganda and trying to hatch a political conspiracy. She has no idea about local issues and why such letterheads are given. The Trinamool Congress also issues such letterheads for people living in the border area. Why has she hidden that fact?” he said.