Kolkata: The fight over National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizen Amendment Bill (CAB) issue took a volatile turn on Thursday when the protesting students of Presidency University took to streets to submit a copy of Indian constitution to the state BJP headquarters in Central Kolkata.
Ayan, a Biology student of the university claimed that the purpose to submitting the copy to the BJP office was to remind the BJP leaders that not only Hindus even Muslims have equal rights to reside in India.
“The Constitution clearly states ‘We the people of India’. This proves that India is a secular country and people of all faiths have equal right to reside here. But the BJP led Central government has forgotten our own constitution. There anti-Muslim agenda is ruining the democracy of the country,” said Ayan.
Kaberi Guha, another protesting student alleged that saffron camp is an ‘anti-national party’ and also that the BJP is keen on destroying the harmony of the country.
“Abiding the constitution the saffron camp was voted to power. Soon after coming to power the BJP is disrupting the harmony of the country. The Constitution clearly mentions that every citizens of India is entitled to enjoy all the facilities of the country but due to the appeasement politics the BJP is apparently giving freedom to the Hindus just to keep their vote bank,” said Guha.
The police who had barricaded the street near IISWBM College Street campus found it difficult to manage the crowd as the BJP cadres chanting slogans in favour of NRC came from the other side of the road. The police had even restricted the saffron cadres’ movement to so as to avoid untoward incidents.
But verbal slugfest continued as the BJP cadres’ called the Presi students ‘anti-nationals’ and chanted ‘Jai Sri Ram’ slogans. Countering the ‘Jai Sri Ram’ slogan the agitating students chanted slogans criticising the BJP government.
Talking to eNewsroom, BJP media- in charge Saptarshi Chowdhury said that the agitating students are naxals and are not students.
“First the students should prove that they are genuine students. They are Left cadres if not Naxals. Chanting slogans in favour of Ram is our tradition and no one can stop us to work for the development of the country,” said Chowdhury.
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said that no matter who hit the streets, BJP will make India ‘illegal infiltrators free country’.
“Hitting the streets and abusing BJP will not help anyone. We have pledged to develop the country and will clean India and will throw out all the illegal immigrants from the country. The Infiltrators are enjoying the benefits due for the original citizens of the country.
The local book shop owners in College Streets however stood by the agitating students and few of them have even mentioned that the saffron camp in order to find out the illegal immigrants is also destroying the peace of genuine citizens of the country and also that the BJP should rethink before implementing the NRC in West Bengal.
“History says that the Bengal once had two sides, East and the West. After partition of Bengal several Hindu and Mulims from now Bangladesh had fled to India. They are genuine people and they shouldn’t be harmed,” said a shopkeeper.
