A devastating fire that destroyed over 50 shops in West Bengal’s Khejuri has sparked a sharp political confrontation. (Representative image) A massive fire that gutted dozens of shops in Khejuri area in Purba Medinipur has ignited a war of words between the ruling BJP and Opposition TMC, with the latter calling it a “barbaric act of state-sponsored arson” and the former calling for a fact-based approach. According to police, the fire broke out late Saturday night in the Nichkasba GP of Hijli Sharif. Fueled by strong sea winds, the fire tore through a cluster of temporary stalls, destroying between 50 and 60 shops overnight. Though initial rumors circulated regarding an LPG cylinder blast, officials have found no evidence to support that claim. “What unfolded in Khejuri’s Nichkasba GP, Hijli Sharif is nothing short of barbaric. Over 60 shops were torched by BJP-backed miscreants, destroying the livelihoods of innocent people overnight…Hindu-owned shops, Muslim-owned shops—it made no difference.…