If we look at the newspapers of the past few days, the news that scares us the most is the arrest of multiple Bangladeshi militants in West Bengal. These developments have left the state grappling with fear and uncertainty. Amid the ongoing political turbulence in West Bengal, this alarming series of arrests has raised serious concerns among the common people about the state’s safety and security. The incidents have reignited questions about how well-protected the state is from external threats. Militant organizations such as Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) are known to actively seek opportunities to disrupt peace in India.Their strategy often involves establishing strongholds in border states, and West Bengal, sharing a 2,217-kilometer stretch of the 4,096-kilometer-long India-Bangladesh border, naturally becomes a prime target. Naturally, the initial plan of the militant organizations to create a strong base in West Bengal for sabotage in India leaves no room for doubt.
The ruling party of West Bengal is making a concerted effort to shift the blame for the unchecked infiltration of militants into the state entirely onto the Border Security Force (BSF). This has sparked a war of words between the state’s ruling party and the central government. While it is undeniable that preventing illegal infiltration along the border is primarily the responsibility of border security forces, the state government cannot absolve itself of accountability by placing all the blame on them.
According to sources, the India-Bangladesh border under West Bengal spans 2,217 kilometers, of which 1,849 kilometers are land borders. Alarmingly, about 800 kilometers of this land border remain unfenced. The question of responsibility for the lack of barbed wire fencing has been a contentious issue for some time.
In December 2023, the central government criticized the West Bengal government for its lack of cooperation in acquiring the necessary land for border fencing. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, argued before the Supreme Court that while the Assam-Bangladesh border is secure, the West Bengal-Bangladesh border poses significant national security concerns. He claimed that the state’s non-cooperation was a major obstacle to acquiring the required land. Even a year later, the situation remains unresolved, and the concerns raised by the central government in court are proving increasingly justified. The lack of progress continues to fuel tensions between the two governments, raising serious questions about the management of national security along this critical border.
Let’s examine the geographical context. Recently, many of the terrorists arrested in West Bengal have been linked to areas near Murshidabad District. Notably, a terrorist apprehended in Kerala had reportedly been living freely in Murshidabad for a decade. When asked why Murshidabad is frequently associated with arrested terrorists, experts point to the district’s long, unprotected border. Of the 96 kilometers of the India-Bangladesh international border in Murshidabad, a significant portion remains unfenced. However, the lack of border security is not the only factor. In recent years, the number of unauthorized madrasas in Murshidabad has increased significantly. These institutions often present themselves as centers of education but are reportedly exploited by terrorist organizations for subversive activities. For instance, one of the arrested terrorists, Abbas Ali, is known to have rented a house in Baruipara Hatmore, Hariharpara, Murshidabad, to open a madrasa. This facility was allegedly used to indoctrinate children with anti-national ideologies while also plotting attacks under the guise of an educational establishment. The Union Home Ministry had issued a warning in July 2019, stating that madrasas were being misused by militants to brainwash youth. Despite this warning, a militant camp was discovered just three kilometers from the Hariharpara police station in Murshidabad. These incidents raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of the state police in ensuring the safety of the state and its citizens.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that our state has become a safe haven for terrorists. However, this transformation did not occur overnight, nor can the blame be placed solely on a single individual. The seeds of this crisis were sown long ago. The fear that West Bengal might become a haven for terrorists has now become a reality, and the responsibility lies with a group of self-serving individuals who have, knowingly or unknowingly, supported terrorism. Political parties that have engaged in the politics of religious appeasement for their narrow political gains cannot escape accountability. If a political party genuinely cares about the welfare of minority Muslims, why have they encouraged youth to tread a path that produces the likes of Ajmal Kasab instead of inspiring them to aspire to become icons like APJ Abdul Kalam or Kazi Nazrul Islam? Isn’t it entirely reasonable to raise this question?
Swami Vivekananda strongly opposed the fundamentalism born out of religious fanaticism. In his historic speech on September 11, 1893 from Chicago; he concluded with these powerful words: “Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.”
Poet Rabindranath Tagore, in his poem Nyaydanda, wrote that both those who commit injustice and those who tolerate it deserve equal condemnation. Similarly, those who remained silent when protests were necessary and prioritized their own petty interests over the security and integrity of the country are equally responsible for turning West Bengal into a safe haven for terrorists today.