JOIN USWest Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accuses Centre of spreading lies on CAA
Accusing the Centre of making contradictory statements over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and NPR West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday sought clarification from Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the contentious Act.
Addressing a protest rally against the CAA in Darjeeling Banerjee said that the Home Minister should clarify whether a person will first be declared foreigner for five years and only then he can apply for citizenship under CAA.
“Yesterday I saw that the Union Home Minister gave a long lecture. He accused of telling lies. If we are telling lies, then you tell us what is the truth?” said Banerjee.
Her comments come a day after Shah asked the detractors of CAA, including Banerjee for a debate over the issue.
Alleging that CAA was “not being implemented in BJP ruled states” such as Assam and Tripura Banerjee asked why the Centre wants to implement in only in states where BJP is in power.
“I am telling the BJP government in Delhi that they will not achieve anything just by abusing me. First, you tell me whether you will withdraw these provisions of the law,” she said.
The Chief Minister also said that while her government did not attend the Centre’s meeting on NPR every other state government attended it “out of fear.”
“I want to ask the opposition-ruled states why did they attend the Centre’s meeting on NPR. You should now decide not to allow NPR as it is a part of NRC,” said Banerjee.
Refuting the Centre’s claim that no one will have to submit documents for NPR Banerjee asked then why the Centre is asking for date and place of birth of parents. She alleged that the Centre was planning to make two lists: one
Accusing the BJP of dubbing its detractors as “sympathizers of Pakistan” Banerjee asked whether “they (BJP) were Indians or ambassadors of Pakistan.” She further alleged that it was BJP’s ploy to divert public attention from the economic slowdown and its failure in terms of employment generation.