TMC seeks judicial probe into BJP’s ‘links’ with Udaipur killer, terrorist

Sharing a few photographs, the TMC claimed that the photographs were of “BJP leaders with that of terrorist arrested in Srinagar and the alleged prime accused in the tailor murder case” and sought to know the relations the saffron party has with them.

“We witnessed how comments made by a BJP leader led to violence across the country recently. The BJP leadership had claimed that they were fringe elements. But, in reality, they are part of the greater design of the saffron camp to spread communal disharmony across the country,” alleged TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh at a press conference.

“Later, it was found that Riaz Attari, the prime accused in the killing of the Udaipur tailor, was also a BJP member. This only proves how the BJP is using its members to fan communal violence in the country ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” said Ghosh, showing a few photographs and claiming it be of Attari with BJP leaders.

The Indian Express did not independently verify the contents of the photographs and cannot vouch for their authenticity. Senior TMC leader and state minister Shashi Panja, who was also present at the press conference, alleged that terrorist Talib Shah, who was arrested in Srinagar, had BJP links.

“Photographs of Talib Shah have gone viral. A terrorist is having links with the BJP. This is a serious issue that needs to be investigated. There should be a judicial probe into both incidents, and the truth must be unearthed. The BJP is using its members to fuel communal violence in the country,” she said.

State BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya, however, refused to give importance to the charges levelled by the TMC, saying, “We do not want to react to such allegations. Regarding the issue of pictures, our party’s central leadership is looking into it.”

Two men, identified as Riaz Attari and Ghouse Mohammad, allegedly hacked Kanhaiya Lal to death with a cleaver at his shop in Udaipur on June 28 and posted videos online saying they are avenging an insult to Islam. They were arrested and the case was transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Attari’s pictures with BJP leaders later surfaced on social media.

Showing a photograph of arrested terrorist, Talib Shah, in a BJP office, the Congress claimed he had links with the saffron party. The BJP asserted that the man came there posing as a journalist.

— WITH PTI INPUTS