"In the BJP-ruled states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, brute force is being used to curb the movement. But I would like to tell the BJP: don't try to muzzle the movement through force. If anybody tries to terrorise people and use brute force, then the people of the country, of Bengal, will not support that," she said.
Further lashing out at the BJP, the chief minister said that the party does not keep its promises, while referring to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's remark about putting on hold compensation to families of police firing victims in the state.
The government would not give a single rupee to their families if the investigation proved the involvement of two persons in the violence during the December 19 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Karnataka CM had told reporters on Wednesday.
Banerjee also warned the BJP of not to 'play with fire' and threatened the saffron party of continuous movement till the new citizenship law is revoked. Amid a massive gathering in the Muslim-dominated pocket, Banerjee extended full support to the students fighting against CAA and a proposed NRC.
"We express our solidarity with the students of Jamia Millia, IIT Kanpur and other universities who are protesting against CAA and NRC", she said adding that even students are voters of this country and if they protest, what is harm in it.
This is Banerjee's fifth march in Kolkata on the issue. In Bengal, trains, buses and railways stations have been torched and vandalised, and roads and train tracks blockaded by the protesters.