Mamata hindering Burdwan probe as Trinamool involved: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah Sunday alleged the involvement of Trinamool Congress leaders in the Oct 2 Burdwan blast, and accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of compromising national security by hindering the NIA probe into the blast in which Bangladeshi militants were involved.

Addressing a party rally here, Shah also claimed that money from the Saradha chit fund scam was used to fund the Burdwan blast and the Trinamool government was trying to save the accused.

"She (Banerjee) may shield the Saradha scamsters, for her party leaders are involved in it, but by trying to save the Burdwan blast accused for the sake of her vote bank, she has played with the nation's security," he said.

"The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the Burdwan blast is being hampered. The agency is not being allowed to work. Many Trinamool leaders are involved in the blast and Mamata didi will have to give all these answers during the polls," he said.

The accidental blast occurred at a house in Khagragarh area of Burdwan, killing two Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen militants and injuring another.

Alleging the involvement of Trinamool in the blast, Shah lashed out at Banerjee over her recent comments wherein she had claimed that the blast was "a handiwork of the BJP led central government".

Banerjee's comments were earlier slammed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who said the "allegations were neither responsible nor nationalistic and clearly help the actual culprits".

"When the probe started into who funded the Burdwan blast, you will be surprised to know that the Saradha chit fund money was used and the probe into the blast and the money trail leads to the Trinamool doorstep," Shah said.

"Mamata didi, by speaking against the NIA probe, whom do you want to save? Riding on the Bangladeshi infiltrators, you cannot continue ruling Bengal. It's the people of Bengal and not the infiltrators who have made you the chief minister.

"If you are banking on these infiltrators to save your Trinamool, then I have no qualms in saying that the countdown for your departure has begun," he said.

Shah also questioned the police's role in the blast probe.

"I want to tell you that Shakil Ahmed, who was killed in the blast, was earlier involved in bomb-making. Why didn't Bengal police arrest him? Who is Nurul Hassan Chowdhury in whose house the blast occurred? Mamata didi, you need to answer who is Nurul Hassan," he asked.

Warning Banerjee against compromising the nation's security, Shah said:"I am here to warn Mamata ji that you may indulge in vote bank politics, but not at the cost of the nation's security. I urge you to stop harbouring and sheltering Bangladeshi infiltrators. If the country's borders are to be kept safe, then infiltrators have to be driven out."