BJP highlights Malda riots' 'truth' with five questions for Mamata

Kolkata: Hours after its three-member delegation was detained and sent back without their planned visit to violence-torn Malda district, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday levelled serious allegations against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Accusing Mamata Banerjee of failing to control violence at Kaliachak despite reports about brewing tension in advance, BJP senior leader Siddharth Nath Singh on Monday indicated that Kaliachak police station was attacked to destroy records about opium farming and fake currency racket in the area.

He also said the three party MPs - SS Ahluwalia,  BD Ram and Bhupender Yadav, who were part of the BJP's delegation to Malda, will meet the President and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh after returning to Delhi. 

Singh said the BJP is posing five questions before Mamata Banerjee: 

1. The incident (Malda violence) happened on January 3. Leaflets, pamphlets and other publicity materials were being openly distributed in the area in advance to provoke the communal flare. Then why did state government failed to take precautionary measures and curb the violence on time?

2. Mamata govt is calling Malda violence a reaction to a provocative statement against Prophet Muhammad made one month ago. So why was this reaction after a gap of one month? It was not a reaction but a planned action.

3. Mamata Banerjee is saying the violence was between locals and BSF. If it was so, then why the mob attacked police station? They should have attacked or gathered at BSF posts. 

4. NIA has been working on the investigation into Malda fake currency racket. More than 50 persons have been arrested in the past and most of them were from Malda. NIA was in touch with West Bengal govt to burst this racket. There were crucial records at Kaliachak police station which was attacked by the mob. 

5. There is widespread opium farming taking place in Malda. Aren't the state government and police aware of it? Why is West Bengal govt sleeping over it?
Opium farming here leads to fake currency rackets and other anti-national activities. This is why the police station which had crucial information regarding these cases was attacked.