Kolkata, April 1 The West Bengal unit of BJP has sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the illegal firecracker factory blast at Patharpratima in the South 24 Parganas district, which has claimed eight lives so far.
The blast took place on Monday night.
The state BJP leadership has said an NIA probe was essential since it was a matter of doubt that the blast was actually at an illegal firecracker factory or a crude bomb manufacturing unit.
BJP 's former national vice-president and former Lok Sabha member Dilip Ghosh has accused the police administration of not taking any steps despite knowing about such illegal manufacturing at a private residence.
“The state Assembly elections are scheduled next year. It seems that the ruling Trinamool Congress has already started its preparations for creating an air or terror of violence, and so their goons are running crude bomb manufacturing hubs under the camouflage of firecracker factories or warehouses. So an NIA investigation into the matter is necessary," Ghosh added.
The state president of BJP in West Bengal and the Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar claimed that he had alerted the Union Home Ministry on the matter and also pleaded for an appropriate Central-level investigation into the matter.
“Was it just a firecracker factory? Or was it yet another bomb-manufacturing unit promoted by the ruling party? Bengal today stands at the crossroads of anarchy and terror! On one side, rampant appeasement & illegal infiltrations are threatening India's sovereignty. On the other, Bengal is being flooded with illegal arms & explosives, all under the protection of the ruling party,” said Majumdar.
The two brothers, Chandrakanta Banik and Tushar Banik, who jointly owned the house where the illegal firecracker factory was being run, had gone absconding soon after the blast. The intensity of the blast was quite massive, and it took hours to extinguish the fire which gutted the entire house.
Until the report was filed, no official statement was issued from the office of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the administrative actions in the matter, including the quantum of compensation to be paid to the family members of the victim.
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