New Delhi: In the light of the arrest of two suspects, including the alleged mastermind in the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast case in West Bengal on Friday by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the BJP slammed the ruling Congress in Karnataka, accusing them of trying to manipulate the narrative and project the incident as a result of business rivalry. Meawhile, NIA got three-day transit remand of the two suspects on Friday.
Mussavir Hussain Shazib and Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa were arrested by an NIA team after being traced to their hideout near Kolkata.
Addressing reporters, BJP state General Secretary Ashwath Narayan Gowda claimed that the Congress made statements that diverted the focus of the investigation teams. He further alleged that when a BJP worker from Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district was summoned for questioning regarding the cafe blast case, the Congress tried to insinuate the BJP's involvement.
“The Congress called the incident an outcome of business rivalry. They gave similar statements after the cooker bomb blast case in Mangaluru and called the accused ‘innocent’," Gowda said, adding that the party has "no concern for public safety and national security".
Meanwhile, the arrest has sparked a political slugfest in West Bengal, with the BJP asserting that the Mamata Banerjee-ruled TMC government has transformed the state into a "safe haven for terrorists."
Taking to X, Amit Malviya, co-incharge of BJP in West Bengal, wrote, “NIA detains two chief suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and accomplice Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa, from Kolkata. Both likely belong to ISIS cell in Shivamogga, Karnataka. West Bengal, unfortunately, under Mamata Banerjee, has become a safe haven for terrorists.”
In response to these allegations, the TMC and West Bengal Police refuted the claim, stating that the NIA nabbed the suspects with the help of the state police.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the BJP over its allegations, asserting that the prompt action taken by the West Bengal police led to the arrest of the suspects involved in the Bengaluru blast case.