TMC, BJP Trade Blame Over Arson Attack on Shops in West Bengal's Khejuri

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Monday alleged that BJP-backed miscreants set nearly 10 shops ablaze in Purba Medinipur's Khejuri in front of police personnel, accusing Union Home Minister Amit Shah of promoting targeted violence in West Bengal. The incident occurred on Sunday night, with five shops confirmed to have been set ablaze by unidentified people, according to a senior police official.

The BJP has rejected the allegations, with a party leader in Purba Medinipur claiming that the party always espouses peace and that some people, instigated by the TMC, are trying to cause unrest in the area using the BJP's name.

Abhishek Banerjee shared a clip of the fire on social media, claiming that nearly 10 shops were set ablaze by BJP miscreants in the Jonka gram panchayat area of Khejuri, right in front of police. He termed the incident a double-engine disaster and alleged that people's livelihoods have been reduced to ashes because hatred and intimidation are now being used as political tools.

The police have deployed Rapid Action Force personnel and central forces in the area to maintain law and order, with an investigation underway to determine the cause of the fire and identify those responsible. The BJP leader in Purba Medinipur has called for strict action to be taken against those involved, while Abhishek Banerjee has questioned the role of the central forces, asking if they are deployed only when it suits the BJP's political agenda.

The incident is likely to escalate tensions between the TMC and the BJP in West Bengal, with the TMC planning to take up the matter with the state government and the BJP likely to counter with its own allegations of violence and intimidation. The police will continue to investigate the incident, with the results of the investigation expected to be announced in the coming days.