In a startling revelation, Mohammad Sad Radi, a Bangladeshi terrorist linked to the Islamist militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), has been found to have his name listed in the electoral rolls and to possess voting rights in two districts of West Bengal. The discovery, along with the possession of Indian identification documents, has ignited a political debate, with accusations directed at the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government under Mamata Banerjee.
Radi, the mastermind behind a sleeper cell affiliated with ABT, a group connected to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), was arrested in Kasargod after a coordinated raid by Assam and West Bengal police. Investigations revealed that Radi, who entered Kerala under the guise of a construction worker, acquired forged Indian documents, including an Aadhaar card, voter ID, and a fake passport, raising serious concerns about the ease with which terror networks can infiltrate and exploit India’s identification systems.
This arrest has sparked a wave of political controversy, with opposition parties, particularly the BJP, accusing the TMC government of providing a “safe haven” for terrorist elements.
Following Radi’s arrest, another individual with links to the banned Tehreek-e-Mujahideen was apprehended in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, following a joint operation between Jammu and Kashmir Police and the West Bengal Special Task Force.
These back-to-back arrests have raised questions about the security measures in West Bengal, with the opposition BJP accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government of offering a “safe sanctuary” to terror modules. BJP state president Sukanata Majumdar stated that the Union government was ready to take full responsibility for the Bangladesh border, provided the state government allocates land for border fencing.
BJP leader Amit Malviya claimed that the arrested ABT members had voter IDs from two different constituencies in Murshidabad, alleging that illegal infiltrators, granted voting rights, have become a significant voter base for the TMC. He called this a “tip of the iceberg” and suggested that it helped the TMC maintain its hold on power.
In response, Firhad Hakim, Kolkata’s mayor and a TMC leader, defended the West Bengal Police’s actions, stating that the arrests demonstrated the government’s “complete lack of tolerance for extremists.” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh argued that the presence of terrorist elements in Bengal was not new, citing the Left Front’s tenure and past attacks, such as the blasts at Lalbazar and the American consulate. He added that, according to the Union Home Ministry, terrorists are active in 14 states, many of which are governed by the BJP. Ghosh emphasized that the responsibility to address cross-border infiltration lies with the Centre and the BSF.
Critics have pointed to a controversial comment made by a TMC leader on 26 November 2023, which has fueled accusations of vote manipulation and illegal voter enrollment. The leader reportedly stated, “Many Bangladeshi people live here. Those who have come from Bangladesh, if they face any issues in enrolling their names in the voter list, Zakir da (Jakir Hossain, a TMC leader in Habra) will assist you. Please contact this office… we don’t want a single voter to be left out.” At the time, Ratna Biswas was the organizational district head of the TMC in Barasat, North 24 Parganas. This remark has stirred controversy, with critics alleging that it hints at the systematic facilitation of illegal voters, particularly from Bangladesh.
(With inputs from News 18)
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