Won’t allow implementation of CAA, NRC in West Bengal, says CM Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that her government will not allow the implementation of CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) or NRC (National Register of Citizens) in the state.

The CM also targeted the BJP-led central government over the issue of Manipur violence, saying the Centre sent over 400 teams to Bengal. “How many teams did you send to Manipur, where our sisters were burned?” she asserted.

Mamata Banerjee, while addressing the TMC Mahila Wing Rally in Kolkata, said, “We will not allow CAA, nor NRC, nor the politics of dividing Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, nor the false politics of dividing the Matua community, nor the false politics of dividing Hindus and Muslims. We do not accept this. They sent over 400 teams to Bengal. How many teams did you send to Manipur, where our sisters were burned?”

#WATCH | West Bengal CM &TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee addressing TMC Mahila Wing Rally in Kolkata says, "…I challenge BJP and say that Bengal is the only place where women are safe…" pic.twitter.com/PO2DmgkfZ1

— ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2024

In February, the West Bengal Chief Minister said that the government will not implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) initiative and will provide separate cards to those whose Aadhaar card is deactivated.

“Those who are playing with the Aadhaar cards and trying to deprive people of their rights, people will throw them out of power. We will issue a separate card that will help to protect the citizen’s rights. We have prepared a portal named ‘Aadhaar Grievance Portal of West Bengal Government’. Those whose Aadhaar card has been deactivated should inform us as soon as possible so that they continue to enjoy their democratic, social and economic rights,” CM said.

The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

Following the passage of the CAA by Parliament in December 2019 and its subsequent presidential assent, significant protests erupted in various parts of the country.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while speaking at summit hosted by a television channel on Thursday, reiterated that the Citizenship Amendment Act will be implemented before the Lok Sabha elections. The Home Minister said, “This will be implemented before the elections…this is the law of the country, no one can stop it, this is set in stone, this is the reality.”

Shah also batted for the Uniform Civil Code, saying that this is not only the agenda of the BJP, but also the vision of the constitutional assembly and is included in Article 44 of the constitution.

“Unfortunately, UCC has been associated with religion. Today I want to tell the people of the country that UCC is not just the agenda of BJP, but since 1950 we have been saying that when we come to power, we will bring UCC to this country. Since 1950, ‘Uniform Civil Code’ has been a part of our manifesto. If you expect the State to be secular, then the laws of the State must also be secular. Personal laws based on religious domination can never give us a secular state”, Home Minister Amit Shah said. (ANI)