The attack on National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials at Bhupatinagar in West Bengal on Saturday turned into a major political issue ahead of the Lok Sabha election, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleging that Central agencies face attacks in the State as the ruling Trinamool Congress wants to protect its corrupt leaders.
“The TMC wants its corrupt leaders and extortionists to get a free licence for terror. That is why, when Central agencies arrive here, then the TMC indulges in attack. The TMC is a party that wants to trample the rule of law and constitutional norms,” Mr. Modi said, addressing a public meeting in Jalpaiguri district. Referring to the violence at Sandeshkhali, the PM said that the courts have to intervene in every issue.
Earlier in the day, the Trinamool Congress held a press conference alleging that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jitendra Tiwari met an NIA official on March 26 after the Lok Sabha elections were announced. Trinamool leaders have been alleging that the NIA investigation in the Bhupatinagar blast of 2022 was an attempt to target its party leaders before the Lok Sabha election.
‘NIA-BJP alliance’
“Experience the unfolding alliance between the @NIA_India and @BJP4Bengal, orchestrating conspiracies against trinamool leaders amid the Model Code of Conduct. While this collusion persists, the ECI stands by, conspicuously silent, neglecting its duty to ensure fair play,” Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said in a social media post.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the NIA of going for raids in the middle of the night when women were sleeping. “They are trying to arrest our candidates and booth level leaders... Ram Navami is approaching and now even if a cracker explodes, NIA will take over the investigation. What authority does the NIA have?” Ms. Banerjee said, addressing a rally at Purulia on Sunday.
A NIA official had sustained injuries when locals attacked an agency team at Bhupatinagar on Saturday. The NIA had arrested two accused in the Bhupatinagar blast case during its raid. Local residents allegedly tried to obstruct the NIA team.
‘Unprovoked attack’
Amidst the political war of words, the NIA issued a press statement saying that there was “no mala fide intent in action in Bhupatinagar blast case”, claiming that the attack on its team was “unprovoked”. The agency said that the entire controversy was unfortunate.
“NIA made it clear that its actions were bona fide, lawful and legally mandated, as part of its ongoing investigation into the heinous crime related to fabrication of crude bombs, leading to an explosion that killed three persons in Naruabila village, PS Bhupatinagar, district Purba Medinipur in West Bengal,” the NIA statement said.
The blast at Bhupatinagar on December 3, 2022 had claimed three lives. The NIA had taken over the investigation in the case on June 6, 2023, on the directions of the Calcutta High Court.
The NIA added that its actions on Saturday were as per the orders of a Special Court, which gave the agency “liberty to proceed with the investigation as expeditiously as possible, and to take all necessary action with regard to arrest, search and seizure of the houses of the suspects/accused persons...”
‘BJP leader met NIA SP’
Minutes after the NIA press statement, Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee took to social media and urged the NIA to clarify whether “Jitendra Tiwari of BJP met with your SP at his residence in Kolkata on the 26th March, while the MCC [Model Code of Conduct] was in effect? Additionally, we have information suggesting he arrived with a parcel and left empty-handed after 52 minutes.”
Earlier in the day, a two-member TMC team, including party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, visited Bhupatinagar. Even though Mr. Ghosh urged the people not to indulge in violence, he asked the locals to lay siege to the members of the Central team till the police arrived at the spot. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case of outraging the modesty of women against NIA officials, in connection with the scuffle with locals on Saturday.
Bhupatinagar is located in the State’s Purba Medinipur district, the home turf of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. The district has two Lok Sabha seats, Tamluk and Kanthi, which have emerged as the stage for a prestige fight between the Trinamool and the BJP in the Lok Sabha election.
