‘BSF is letting goons and murderers enter West Bengal’: Mamata Banerjee

“The border is guarded by BSF, not TMC. This is an inside job by the BSF, supported by a blueprint from the Central government. Without such a plan, these activities would not be possible. I told the Central government time and again that I would support them, but if I see trouble being created in my state and if anybody is helping terrorist activities, we will protest,” said Banerjee.

On the state intelligence activities, Mamata Banerjee asked Director General of West Bengal Police Rajeev Kumar to transfer “those who are not doing anything”. “You people should give importance to those persons who are working efficiently. Don’t give importance to the people who are close to you. Don’t maintain a lobby,” she said.

She also told the state police officers, “The BSF is letting people enter through Islampur, Sitai and Cooch Behar and other places. The BSF is torturing women; why don’t you protest that? I would tell DG Rajeev Kumar to mark those places where the BSF let infiltration take place. We are not getting information on which people are entering Bengal. If anyone thinks of maligning the TMC-led government by allowing infiltration through the border; the TMC is not doing that.”

Banerjee also said, “DMs and SPs did not fulfill their responsibilities to communicate details regarding people getting into India from Bangladesh. I want peace on that side of the border and here also. We do not have any bad relations. We speak the same language. People can come for medical treatment. But we should be informed of their details.”

Pulling up the Birbhum DM, she said, “We are not happy with the work there. Why is the sand mafia increasing? Why was the contiguity to take land for the Deucha Pachami project not maintained? Direction from any leaders in Birbhum will not be followed. Funds from Birbhum are going to the BJP. Money should not go to any political parties.”

When North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha mentioned the Delhi Police’s recent drives carried out in the Cooch Behar district to verify details of migrant workers staying in Delhi, Banerjee slammed the Delhi Police for doing so “without the necessary permission”. She also alleged that Cooch Behar police super and district administration failed to intimate news of this incident to the Director General of police.

Earlier, the West Bengal Police busted a fake passport racket being operated in the state and arrested seven people. The passports were given to people who illegally entered India from Bangladesh through West Bengal through the porous borders amid a turmoil in Dhaka.

The Chief Minister also emphasised recovering government land from encroachments, slamming state police for “not taking appropriate action.” She formed an action-taking team with top IPS and IAS officers to investigate “illegal promoting and construction” on government lands across the state.