'BJP Forcefully Provoking People Before Polls': Mamata Says As Centre Notifies CAA

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concerns about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) leading to the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the nation.

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her firm opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), stating that she would fiercely oppose it if found discriminatory against certain groups of people living in India or if it curtailed their existing citizenship rights in any manner. Banerjee made these remarks at a hastily convened press conference from the state secretariat, Nabanna, shortly before the official notification of the CAA rules by the Centre, Banerjee said this was her “primary response” based on media reports that the announcement was likely to be made soon.

West Bengal Chief Minister stated that she will offer her detailed opinion on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Tuesday, after thoroughly reviewing the notification and the finalised rules, reported PTI.

She asked, “Why do this only days before the Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be announced? Why did the Centre have to wait for four years to notify the law after it was passed in Parliament?"  

"The Centre should have published the notification before leaking it to the press... Why wait for the sundown? This, after all, is not freedom at mignight", Banerjee added.

CM Banerjee expressed concerns about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) leading to the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the nation. She said that people living in India already have guaranteed rights to education, property ownership, and electing public representatives. Banerjee voiced apprehension that the CAA could serve as a possible precursor to the nationwide implementation of the NRC, as per PTI.

The Centre's announcement on Monday regarding the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 marks the culmination of a four-year period since the contentious law was passed. This move paves the way for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. 

CM Mamata Called The Centre's Move To Implement The CAA A "show off"

The rules were notified days ahead of the expected announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.“I ask what was the tearing hurry to rethink citizenship when elections are knocking on the door,” the Trinamool Congress supremo added.

CM Mamata Banerjee reiterated her concerns about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), emphasizing that the previous law, referring to the National Register of Citizens (NRC), aimed at nullifying the existing rights of citizens. She characterised the Centre's move to implement the CAA as a "show off" and likened it to "offering a lollypop to a kid."

CM Banerjee questioned the effectiveness of the possible online portal through which CAA applications could be made, expressing doubts about whether the system would work as intended.

CM Banerjee also raised suspicions about the alleged attempts to cancel the Aadhaar cards of members of the Matua and other Namasudra communities in West Bengal, suggesting that it was a ploy to lend credibility to the CAA notification. She indicated that her administration had anticipated this conspiracy and had already voiced concerns about it, referencing a protest letter she sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi the previous month regarding deactivated Aadhaar cards, reported PTI.

CM Mamata Banerjee emphasised that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are sensitive issues not only for West Bengal but also for the Northeastern states.

“The BJP is forcefully provoking the people before the polls,” she declared.“We ask the people to not worry about their rights. Trinamool will be the first party to raise its voice and actively resist any attempt to curtail them,” she said.

Referring to PM Modi’s congratulatory message on DRDO’s successful launch of the Agni5 missile, Banerjee said, “I congratulate the scientists behind the feat. Their success is the nation’s success. She further highlighted that she had also congratulated the scientists involved in India's successful lunar mission.