J P Nadda invokes CAA, S P Mookerjee in Bengali outreach in Uttarakhand

BJP chief J P Nadda on Tuesday recalled the legacy of Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, the benefits of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as he addressed Bengali voters in Uttarakhand which goes to polls early next year.

Addressing Bengali voters at Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand, Nadda highlighted the decision of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to do away with the practice of stamping ‘Poorvi Pakistan’ in caste certificates issued to the community, most of whom have settled in the state from the erstwhile East Pakistan.

Uttarakhand had a sizeable Bengali population of over 3.5 lakh, most of whom were settled in the region by the Centre in 1951-52. Several others joined them decades later, escaping religious persecution in the then East Pakistan.

The Bengali community has significant presence in Khatima, Nanakmatta, Sitarganj, Gadarpur, and Bazpur constituencies of Uttarakhand.

Dhami, the young Uttarakhand chief minister, is a two-term MLA from Khatima.

Nadda also spoke about the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2019 that speeds up grant of Indian citizenship to religious minorities facing persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Modi has come to the rescue of members of Indian communities, be it Sikhs, Hindus or Parsis, whenever they have suffered persecution at the hands of authorities in their countries.

The BJP chief also slammed Trinamool Congress for “leading a corrupt government” and insulting the rich legacy of social reformers such as Rajaram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhash Chandra Bose as Shyama Prasad Mookerjee.

“The name of West Bengal, which was once associated with great social reformers, thinkers, philosophers, literary figures and freedom fighters, has become synonymous with corruption, bloodshed and anarchy under the TMC,” he said.

Nadda urged the voters to re-elect Chief Minister Dhami and follow it up by ensuring victory of the BJP in West Bengal through democratic means and change the “grim picture” prevailing in the state.

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