Mamata Banerjee hits back at BJP claim that Bengal 'safe haven for terror'

Hitting out at the BJP for alleging that West Bengal has become a safe haven for terrorists, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the accused in the Bengaluru blast case were arrested because of the state police's prompt action.

The arrest of two accused in Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe blast case from West Bengal on Friday triggered a political slugfest in the state with the opposition BJP claiming that the TMC regime had turned the state into a safe haven for terrorists.

"Heard one BJP leader saying that Bengal is not safe. The accused were arrested within two hours following a prompt response by police. What about the states where you are in power?" she said at a rally in Cooch Behar.

"What about Uttar Pradesh Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat and Bihar? " she asked.

Banerjee blamed the BJP for spreading canards against the state.

The TMC supremo accused the saffron party of misusing central agencies and not allowing a "level-playing field for all political parties" in the elections.