KOLKATA – BJP leader Agni Mitra Paul unleashed a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the devastating fire at a warehouse in Anandpur. In a pointed interview, Paul accused Banerjee of prioritizing vote-bank politics over public safety, claiming she shows no remorse for the lives lost in the tragedy.
The fire, which claimed multiple lives, exposed glaring safety lapses at the facility, including the absence of a fire license for the adjacent momo factory. Paul questioned why the warehouse owner has not been arrested five days after the incident, despite arrests of the deputy manager and manager. ‘Arresting subordinates does nothing; the owner is the real culprit,’ he asserted, citing confirmation from the Fire Department’s DG.
Paul alleged that the delay in apprehending the owner points to deeper corruption, with substantial bribes flowing to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its IPAC office. He highlighted how illegal operations thrive across Bengal under the guise of legality, with TMC allegedly extracting protection money. ‘Five days on, no DNA tests for victim identification, and families get a measly 10 lakh rupees as compensation,’ Paul fumed, slamming Banerjee’s focus on electoral gains.
Drawing broader parallels, Paul criticized Banerjee’s divisive politics, predicting a strong backlash from Bengal’s people. He dismissed TMC-suspended leader Humayun Kabir and CPI(M)’s Mohammad Salim as Banerjee’s ‘B-team,’ united in ideology to secure Muslim votes. Paul recalled Banerjee’s past opposition to Bangladeshi infiltration during Left rule, contrasting it with her current reliance on those votes as CM.
As investigations continue, Paul’s remarks underscore mounting political tensions in the state ahead of future elections.