The Union minister of state for ports, shipping and waterways, Shantanu Thakur, claimed on Monday that he received a threat letter from the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) over the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Speaking to the media, Mr Thakur, whom the BJP has re-nominated from the Bangaon Lok Sabha seat in North 24-Parganas district, claimed that the threat letter reportedly sent by the LeT was written in Bangla.

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The letter said if people from the Muslim community in West Bengal suffer because of the implementation of NRC, the entire country will burn, Thakur claimed.

The threat letter claimed that if NRC is implemented, Matua Thakurbari temple will be blown up and Union minister will be killed. Mr Thakur has informed the Union home minister and Prime Minister about the entire matter. The letter mentioned an address in Deganga. It warned that if any atrocities occur due to NRC’s actions against minorities, the entire country will burn, including Shantanu Thakur’s house.

Mr Thakur directly accused the state government, led by Mamata Banerjee for the deteriorating law and order situation and alleged that even though Mamata Banerjee herself is the state home minister, a former MP from her state is receiving threatening letters from militants. He has urged the government to take action on this issue.

Mamatabala, a Trinamul Congress RS MP, has accused Shantanu of orchestrating a drama for his own electoral gains, stating that all the alleged atrocities inflicted upon them were witnessed by their followers. “Now attempts are being made to divert attention by staging this drama,” she said.

In a related incident, allegations of an attack on Thakur’s ancestral house have been raised against him by Mamatabala. Police have already filed a complaint in this regard. The ruling party claimed, “Shantanu Thakur and his party attacked Mamatabala’s house. Mamata and her daughter were forced to stay outside the house all night.” In this incident, a case has been filed against Shantanu Thakur and 13 others at the Gaighata police station. The allegations range from attempting to forcibly enter the house to using abusive language.