Security has been intensified in the Rabindra Nagar area of South 24 Parganas district following a violent clash between police and alleged miscreants on Wednesday.
The incident took a political turn as West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP leaders claimed that a Shiva temple in Ward No. 7 of Maheshtala, under the Metiabruz Assembly constituency, was vandalised during the unrest near Rabindra Nagar Police Station.
Adhikari announced plans to visit the affected families and shopkeepers in Maheshtala, stating he had sought permission from the Superintendent of Police of the Diamond Harbour Police District and the Director General of Police. He shared on X, “This visit is a step towards understanding their grievances and ensuring their voices are heard. I hope the administration doesn’t obstruct my visit.”
The BJP leader alleged that the attack was targeted at Hindu families and labelled the perpetrators as “Jihadis.” The incident follows previous episodes of violence in the state, some of which were linked to protests against the Waqf Board Amendment Act.
In a recent statement, Adhikari accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of supporting extremism. “The TMC party extends full support to terrorism and extremists… They are turning Bengal into a valley of extremists and are protecting them,” he said, referring to comments made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the Pulwama attack.
Meanwhile, in a show of bipartisan unity, the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution praising the Indian armed forces for their recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The resolution also condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, most of them tourists.
