“Shows failure of Bengal govt”: Adhir Chowdhury after Bengal cracker factory blast kills 5

Kolkata: Coming down heavily on the West Bengal government after a blast in an illegal firecracker-manufacturing factory left 5 persons dead and several injured in the North 24 Parganas district, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday said the incidents reflects the failure of the state administration.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, he said that the amount of explosive material found at the site of the blast indicates that the government had given its nod to the functioning of the unit without making necessary enquiries.

The Congress state chief claimed further that cracker manufacturers were running such illegal units with impunity and with the blessings of the state administration, and the recurrence of such incidents was a direct fallout of the same.

"The amount of explosive materials (found at the scene of the blast) is proof that the Bengal government has allowed traders to run such illegal units wherever they want, even at the cost of lives. Traders, who deal in explosives, are being given complete freedom to run such units. This has resulted in such incidents," the Congress MP said.

"The incident shows the abject failure of the state machinery and the law enforcement authorities. We only come to know of such factories when blasts happen and innocent lives are lost. After a cursory response from the administration and the police, everything goes quiet and the illegal units return to business. It is the common man, who is made to pay the ultimate for such illegal and nefarious activities," the Congress leader said.