BJP-Trinamool spat over Jamaat links

BJP national secretary Sidharth Nath Singh has alleged that the West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has a 'tacit understanding' with Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamic radical outfits from that country.

"That is why Mamata Banerjee did not join Manmohan Singh's entourage in 2010. That is why she opposed Teesta treaty and Land Boundary agreement. That was to help Jamaat and BNP and undermine India's good friend Sheikh Hasina and her government and party," Singh told a media conference later on Tuesday.

He said the Trinamool was helped hugely in the border districts by Jamaat cadres in 2011 Bengal polls -- and it influenced Saradha to fund Jamaat's destabilisation drive in the rundown to the Jan 5 polls.

Singh said the low-intensity blast near the NIA office on Monday gives an indication of the intent of the terror modules which are gaining ground in Bengal in the Trinamool Congress-regime.

Trinamool dubbed the allegations as ‘imaginary’ pointing out the Centre and party spoke in two — and contradictory — voices.

The BJP national secretary cited media reports to claim that Trinamool had a tacit understanding with the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh in the run-up to the 2011 assembly polls. "The state machinery is sleeping. It is impossible that the government has no clue," he said.

Singh alleged that in a 2012 Metiabruz blast, Shakeel Ahmed Gazi — killed in the October 2 Khagragarh blast — had a role to play.

Trinamool general-secretary Partha Chatterjee said, "These are imaginary. Who is he? Does he represent ministry of home affairs? Has he taken Rajnath Singh's place? On October 27, MHA special secretary Prakash Mishra along with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval had met CM Mamata Banerjee and expressed their satisfaction with the probe. The Centre lauds us; the party attacks us." Chatterjee said.