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  Metros   Kolkata  03 Feb 2019  Citizenship Bill will be scrapped, says Mamata Banerjee

Citizenship Bill will be scrapped, says Mamata Banerjee

THE ASIAN AGE. | RAJIB CHOWDHURI
Published : Feb 3, 2019, 7:12 am IST
Updated : Feb 3, 2019, 7:12 am IST

West Bengal CM says her party will oppose the bill tooth and nail.

Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee. (Photo: PTI)
 Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee. (Photo: PTI)

Kolkata: With hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal seeking support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has clearly rejected his call.

The West Bengal chief minister not only vowed to oppose the bill, but also demanded the withdrawal of the bill. To justify her decision she pointed out that the north eastern states have been on the boil due to violent protests by different political parties and groups over the proposed legislation.

Ms Banerjee said, “The central government must have to withdraw the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The question of supporting it does not arise anyway. We will oppose it tooth and nail. We will not allow him (Mr Modi) to succeed. Our top priority is to oust him from power this time.”

Ms Banerjee elaborated, “Do we need to prove our citizenship after living in this country for so many years? They (BJP) are trying to displace people in some states. Somewhere they are doing it with the Biharis elsewhere the Bengalis are being targeted.”

She further alleged the government of trying to create a division between different communities and to trigger a fight between them on the pretext of introducing National Register of Citizens and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.

Countering the forecast made by Mr Modi and union home minister Rajnath Singh during the day about end of her party’s term in the state, Ms Banerjee sarcastically advised them to concentrate on their fate first in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

“Ask Mr Modi to think first about his seat (the PM chair) in New Delhi. Will he succeed to win from Varanasi this time also? Will Mr Singh get a ticket this time? Ask Yogi Adityanath to look after his own state: Uttar Pradesh,” the Trinamul chief said.

Expressing her anguish over a series of BJP leaders’ visit to the state recently she claimed, “They should stop thinking about West Bengal. They have no idea about the culture and heritage of our state. Instead they must focus on their own states. West Bengal is capable of looking after itself. We do not need outsiders.”

Ms Banerjee also punctured Mr Modi’s allegations against her government on corruption, scams and violence. “He is the kingpin of corruption, be it demonetisation or GST or Rafale scams. He orchestrated riots in Gujarat. The final bell for him to go out of power has been rung,” she said.

Tags: mamata banerjee, citizenship (amendment) bill, narendra modi
Location: India, West Bengal, Calcutta [Kolkata]