Kolkata, Jan 13 (V7N) — West Bengal opposition leader and BJP MLA Shuvendu Adhikari has issued a strong response to threats allegedly made by coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement in Bangladesh. Speaking to reporters in Kolkata on Sunday, Adhikari asserted that India's advanced military capabilities would render any confrontation futile for Bangladesh.

Adhikari remarked, "Five to seven drones are enough to respond to Bangladesh. That would make their situation worse than Osama bin Laden." He also criticised Bangladesh's alleged deployment of tanks near the Balurghat border in West Bengal, claiming that such measures are outdated in modern warfare.

"Bangladesh has brought a few tanks to the Balurghat border, decorated with moss and haystacks. But wars are not fought with tanks or guns anymore. India is now the third most militarily powerful country in the world. We don’t need manpower; drones are enough," Adhikari stated, highlighting India’s technological advancements in defence.

Addressing issues of militancy, Adhikari pointed out the arrests of members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) in West Bengal and criticised the state's prison system. He alleged that prisons in West Bengal lack proper security measures, allowing activities like the use of mobile phones and other illegal practices.

"The prisons in West Bengal are not really prisons; they are five-star accommodations. This has allowed fundamentalist groups to thrive. We need a nationalist government to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards militancy," Adhikari said.

Adhikari also mentioned the presence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s assassins in West Bengal for over a decade. He recounted how one of them lived in Thakurnagar disguised as a homeopathy doctor, while another, Abdul Majed, was captured in Park Circus and later executed in Bangladesh in 2022.

The comments have drawn sharp reactions from political observers and neighbouring Bangladesh, with many awaiting official responses from both sides.

END/RH/AJ