Kolkata, January 29: In a sharp rebuttal to the Calcutta High Court’s directive ordering the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government to hand over border land to the Border Security Force (BSF), Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh asserted that the state administration had already fulfilled its obligations much earlier.
Speaking to reporters, Ghosh dismissed any notion of non-compliance, emphasizing, ‘The state government has already handed over the required land to the BSF. There’s no report suggesting otherwise. The BSF already exercises jurisdiction up to 50 kilometers from the border line across all such areas.’
He questioned the logic behind infiltration claims, pointing out, ‘If the BSF holds jurisdiction in these areas, how are people managing to cross the border? This is the BSF’s responsibility, not the state police’s.’ While refraining from direct comment on the court order, Ghosh accused the BSF of creating confusion deliberately.
‘We’ve already provided the land to BSF. This is nothing but politics, which isn’t good for the country,’ he added vehemently.
Turning his guns on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ghosh criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s upcoming Bengal visit. ‘Top BJP leaders, including PM Narendra Modi and party president JP Nadda, flock to Bengal only during elections. Post-polls, they vanish without a trace. Modi comes, reads from a teleprompter, and leaves—no real impact here.’
On the Sandeshkhali issue, he alleged that certain elements were misleading the public deliberately. ‘People know who’s truly developing West Bengal. That’s why they won’t trust BJP.’
Addressing claims by the parents of the RG Kar rape-murder victim that they were offered political inducements, Ghosh denied any TMC outreach. ‘Some are coercing them to lie. Our party hasn’t contacted them at all.’
Ghosh’s defense comes amid escalating political tensions in Bengal, with the high court stepping in to enforce central directives on border security, a flashpoint between the TMC and BJP ahead of future electoral battles.