Rajnath visit row: BJP says Mamata 'politicizing issues related to national security'

Hitting back at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for raising questions over Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Cooch Behar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused the former of trying to politicize the issues related to national security.

"On March 25, Home Minister's office had communicated to the West Bengal Governor, Chief Minister's office and other departments about Home Minister's visit to West Bengal...I am surprised that she continues to politicize something which is related to national security," BJP general secretary Siddharth Nath Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India leader Atul Anjan also criticized Rajnath Singh for visiting Cooch Behar in West Bengal along with BJP MPs, saying the latter was encroaching upon the rights of the state.

"The visit of Rajnath Singh is not a simple visit, he is not an MP of the BJP, he is the Home Minister of this country. If he goes to any state then he must inform the chief minister and the administration that he is visiting and also tell the reason for visit. It is criminal on the part of Home Minister to encroach the rights of the state," Anjan said.

Array

Mamata had earlier tweeted that no prior discussion or consultation about the Home Minister's visit was made with her government.

"It is customary to have prior discussion in such cases with State Govt. In a federal str, we must respect each other's jurisdiction," she added.

The Home Minister arrived in West Bengal earlier today to assess the situation along the Indo -Bangladesh boarder.

He was briefed by the Border Security Force officer at Chit Balapukhri near India-Bangladesh international border. The social organisations active in Cooch Behar area also met the Home Minister and handed over a memorandum on Indo-Bangladesh Enclaves.

Rajnath met the Border Guards of Bangladesh at Panbari Border Out Post (BOP) near Teen Bigha corridor, Cooch Behar. He also met BSF security personnel posted in the area before leaving Teen Beegha corridor.