‘Unwarranted and repeated attacks on BSF,’ says Raju Bista; Trinamool delegation to meet Guv

The unwarranted and repeated attacks on the BSF by CM and TMC leaders pose a grave threat to our national security- Bista

Prashant Acharya, EOI, SILIGURI, FEBRUARY 13, 2024 : BJP MP of Darjeeling Raju Bista on Tuesday asked the Trinamool Congress not to politicize the issue of the tragic death of four children --- Golam Mustafa (5), Yusuf Ali (6), Md Islam (5) and Taleb Ali (12)--- on Monday afternoon when a heap of earth fell on them at a village near the Bangladesh border in the North Dinajpur district.

“Instead of uniting in grief and seeking solutions, certain Trinamool leaders have opted to politicize the tragedy by baselessly blaming the BSF for the incident. The unwarranted and repeated attacks on the BSF by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool leaders pose a grave threat to our national security. This irresponsible behavior not only disrespects the memory of the deceased, but also undermines the critical role played by our security forces in safeguarding our borders and communities,” he said. 

"I urge Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to put a stop to the fake news spread by her party leaders, and extend her support to the affected families. Immediate steps must be taken to provide the families with the necessary compensation and support they deserve, which has not been forthcoming, every time north Bengal has faced a tragic situation or natural calamity.” 

Bista also announced the granting of Rs50,000 from his personal contribution to each of the victim's families. The BSF said in a Press note on Tuesday: “On February 12 at about 1250 hrs, BSF troops of Border Outpost Chetnagach who were deployed on the Indo-Bangladesh border heard some unusual noise of villagers at a distance of about 300 mtrs from the place of their duty. 

The troops immediately informed the matter to the Company Commander who along with some troops of the BOP reached at the spot and saw that some villagers were digging the earth and were trying to rescue some children who were buried under the soil. The civilians informed that some civilians were excavating soil with the help of one JCB and some tractors from the spot, some children were also playing there. Suddenly the soil being loose caved in and fell on top of them completely burying them. 

 The Company Commander immediately provided two BSF vehicles for evacuating the children to hospital for medical attention as no other vehicle was available with the civilians. At Civil Hospital, Islampur, the doctor on duty examined the children and declared them brought dead. Senior Trinamool leader and West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Monday evening said the incident took place in a place where the BSF was expanding a network of drains and blamed the “carelessness” of the BSF for the incident. 

Trinamool M.P.s Dola Sen and Pratima Mandal in a letter to West Bengal Governor C. V.Ananda Bose on Monday said the drain was being dug and deepened “illegally” without any plan or sanction of the competent authorities. A 12-member Trinamool delegation would meet the Governor on Thursday.