Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim's stern criticism of the police over the attempted murder of a Trinamool councillor has brought fresh embarrassment to the ruling dispensation and given Opposition parties a new opportunity to claim that his remarks were a direct indictment against chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who oversees the police department.

"Enough is enough. I want to tell the police, act now. Where is the intelligence? Where is the network?" Hakim said during a news meet at his mayoral office.

Hakim's reaction came in the wake of the attempted murder of Sushanta Ghosh, a Trinamool councillor, on Friday evening.

He also raised concerns about the police's competence to recover arms, despite warnings to the police from the chief minister.

"It is not Firhad Hakim's job or Sushanta Ghosh's job to stop criminals. That is the job of the police," Hakim added.

The Opposition asserted Hakim's statements echoed their long-standing claims.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar posted a lengthy statement on X on the minister's remarks, claiming they validated the Opposition's belief that even Trinamool leaders had now lost faith in Mamata's police force.

Majumdar wrote on X: "The Chief Minister of the state, Mamata Banerjee, who also serves as the Home Minister, happens to be his neighbour in Kalighat. She is the one who has consolidated power by using the police administration for political gain, oppressing opposition political leaders and workers through police action. Incidentally, this critic is also a member of Mamata Banerjee's cabinet! "

Majumdar, who is also a minister of state in the Narendra Modi government, told reporters that Hakim's comments justified his party's demand for Mamata's resignation as the state's home minister.

"He claimed that the infiltration (of goons and arms from other states) was not stopped even after warnings from her. If so, she as police minister should resign immediately," Majumdar stated.

CPM leaders also interpreted Hakim's remarks as a direct indictment of the chief minister.

"Hakim should address these concerns directly to the chief minister, as his comments are a direct indictment against her," CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty told The Telegraph.

A source within the TMC acknowledged that Hakim's remarks embarrassed the party, especially as the police had promptly arrested the prime suspect within 24 hours of the attempted murder from Galsi in East Burdwan.

"He should be aware of how the CPM and the BJP have been targeting the police since the RG Kar issue. Such comments against the police will inevitably reflect poorly on the chief minister," said the source.

Opposition allegations of police oppression and failure to manage law and order have become recurring issues in Bengal.

The August 9 incident of brutality at RG Kar Hospital sparked protests from various groups, providing further ammunition for critics to target Mamata, especially in light of similar complaints from within her cabinet.

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dismissed claims of police incompetence, saying their efficiency had been validated by the CBI's findings in the RG Kar crime. "The same police arrested the main culprit in the RG Kar case within 24 hours. The CBI, investigating the case under court orders, acknowledged the arrest as appropriate. Isolated incidents may occur, but there is no question about the police's competence," Ghosh said.