Kolkata: The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly and senior BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday, told media persons that he had received a threat call from Pakistan two days ago.
“I frequently receive threat calls from Bangladesh. But this Tuesday I received a threat call from Pakistan,” LoP Adhikari said.
However, he added that he had not registered any complaint in the matter with the West Bengal Police or Kolkata Police as yet, since he considered that the complaint will be a fruitless exercise.
“However, I have been regularly informing about these threat calls in the right place,” LoP Adhikari said.
However, he did not spell out what he meant by “right place”.
Speaking on the occasion, LoP Adhikari once again launched a scathing attack against the West Bengal government and Trinamool Congress and claimed that because of the patronage from the state’s ruling party and administration, certain pockets in West Bengal have become safe havens for members of unground Islamic fundamentalist groups having their bases in Bangladesh.
Referring to the riot-like situation in minority-dominated Murshidabad district earlier this year after the protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent there, the LoP said that Murshidabad district had been a safe haven for these terrorist outfits from Bangladesh for a long time.
“Active members of Ansarullah Bangla Team have been arrested. They were operating there for one-and-a-half years by opening a madrasa there. West Bengal is a safe place for the Islamic terrorist groups. So they do not resort to blasts here. But people like us receive threat calls,” BJP leader Adhikari added.
However, Trinamool Congress claimed that the LoP is making such baseless claims to remain relevant amid the car blast in New Delhi earlier this week.
“LoP Adhikari knows that no one takes him seriously now. So now he is making such baseless claims to keep himself relevant,” said Trinamool Congress spokesman, Arup Chakraborty.
Since 2020, the security arrangements for LoP Adhikari have been upgraded a number of times since 2020, considering the threat perception.
In 2024, Adhikari’s security cover was upgraded twice — first in October and then in December.
In October, the Union Home Ministry expanded his Z-category security, which was earlier limited to West Bengal, to cover him throughout India, following an intelligence report on a heightened threat to his life.
Again in December last year, the Union Home Ministry upgraded the LoP’s security arrangement within West Bengal, and the CAPF detail covering his convoy and public appearances was increased to at least 22 armed personnel.
(IANS)
