Abhishek Banerjee expressed apprehension of arrest, sought protection from the SC; hearing on friday

In a tragic incident that occurred on Sunday evening, an explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Bajaj, West Bengal claimed the lives of three individuals, including a minor.

The incident has sparked a political tug-of-war in the state, with opposition parties criticizing the government's handling of illegal firecracker factories.

Prominent figures such as BJP's National Vice President, Dilip Ghosh, and Leader of Opposition, Shubhendu Adhikari, have voiced their concerns over the Mamata government's alleged indifference towards taking action against such illegal establishments. Adhikari specifically targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her administration of neglecting the issue.

Since Monday morning, tensions have been high in the wake of the blast at the illegal factory in Budge Budge. The Diamond Harbor police have been conducting searches in the area to locate any potential explosives. So far, 34 individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Dilip Ghosh, commenting on the situation, highlighted the economic benefits that draw impoverished individuals to work in these firecracker factories. He expressed his confusion over the government's apparent lack of awareness and claimed that corruption seemed to be widespread. Ghosh emphasized the need for the authorities to address this recurring problem, stating that Bengal has witnessed more explosions than the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Responding to the Leader of the Opposition's tweet regarding the blast, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh strongly reacted and drew attention to a blast that occurred in Sivakasi, the renowned fireworks hub in Tamil Nadu. He regarded the explosion at the firecracker factory as an accident, cautioning against sensationalizing the incident. Ghosh emphasized the importance of assessing whether the quantity of explosives recovered was excessive or not.