BJP Denies Link With Arrested LeT Terrorist, Demands NIA Probe As Oppn Steps Up Attack

Talib Hussain Shah was nabbed in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. J&K DGP Dilbag Singh said Shah was briefly associated with a political party.

Under fire from the Opposition over its alleged links with arrested LeT terrorist Talib Hussain Shah, the BJP on Tuesday demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the matter, PTI reported. Alleging a conspiracy by Pakistan-based outfit LeT, J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to probe the "wider terror conspiracy".

"As it is a serious matter, BJP is urging J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha that probe into all aspects of this case should be conducted by NIA to uncover this new terror plan (against BJP and its leaders). They must uncover as to how many more Talibs (militants) are part of this conspiracy and linked with the terror outfit," PTI quoted Raina as saying.

Talib Hussain Shah was nabbed by villagers along with another terrorist in Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. J&K DGP Dilbag Singh said Shah was briefly associated with a political party and also posed himself as a mediaperson.

READ | J&K: Villagers Apprehend 2 LeT Militants In Reasi District, L-G & DGP Announce Reward

Ruling out any official relation between BJP and Shah, Raina said it was a new terror plan of LeT to set up a module to target BJP and its leaders by planting a terrorist as journalist to carry out recce of its office.

"We want a full probe into people behind the conspiracy, their links and their targets in BJP. We want to know who are from BJP were his targets," he said.

"Talib Hussian Shah and his other associates were coming to the BJP office to cover press conferences regularly. He was also attending party rallies as a journalist," the J&K BJP chief further said. 

BJP Issues Show-Cause Notice To Jammu Minority Morcha Chief

Meanwhile, BJP issued a show-cause notice to the party's Jammu Minority Morcha president Sheikh Bashir after an order purportedly written by him about the appointment of LeT terrorist Talib Hussain Shah as an official of the unit emerged on social media, PTI reported.

"You had appointed one Talib Hussain as an official of Minority Morcha, who has been found involved in terror activities," the notice written by J&K BJP disciplinary committee chairman Sunil Sethi said.

"You (Sheikh) are directed to explain your position on above issue within 48 hours. Please clarify whether you have issued order in favour of a person (Talib Hussain Shah), who is not even primary member of party as per official records and without checking credentials of the person," the notice further said.

TMC Demands Judicial Probe, Says BJP Trying To Fan Communal Violence

The TMC intensified its attack on BJP and demanded a judicial probe into the alleged links of the saffron party with the main accused in the Udaipur tailor's murder case and the LeT terrorist. The TMC shared photographs of BJP leaders with Talib Hussain Shah and the prime accused in the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur.

"It was found that Riaz Attari, the prime accused in killing the Udaipur tailor, was also a BJP member. This only proves how the BJP is using its members to fan communal violence in the country ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said at a press conference.

Senior TMC leader and minister Shashi Panja, who was also present at the press conference, alleged that terrorist Talib Shah had BJP links, PTI reported.

"Photographs of Talib Shah have gone viral. A terrorist is having links with the BJP. This is a serious issue which needs to be probed. There should be a judicial probe into both incidents, and the truth must be unearthed. The BJP is using its members to fuel communal violence in the country," she said.

(With PTI inputs)