Kolkata: Hitting the streets of Kolkata against National Register of Citizens (NRC) for the third consecutive day, on Wednesday, with slogans like ‘United Bengal for United India’, West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that every citizen of Bengal will stand united to keep India united.
“Every Renaissance started from Bengal and then other states adopted and followed the footprints of Bengal. This time too Bengal will show the path to others in shunning down Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) and NRC which are two sides of the same coin. Bengal will never be broken on communal lines. Every citizen of Bengal will stand united to keep India united,” declared Banerjee.
The Bengal chief minister began her padayatra from Howrah Maidan after urging her supporters to maintain peace during the march. The third day of the rally also crossed iconic Howrah Bridge.
Banerjee raised questions over Aadhaar Card which was made mandatory by the BJP government. She asked that if Aadhaar card is not strong enough to prove one’s citizenship then why did the BJP government made it compulsory immediately after coming to power in 2014.
“BJP is now saying that the Aadhaar Card is not valid proof for one’s citizenship, but they are forgetting that they had only made it compulsory. The entire country is burning and the Union Home Ministry must retain peace and harmony across the country but instead, it is adding fuel to the fire. When Babri Masjid was demolished the entire country saw a series of violence breaking across the country. The central government can once again be seen inciting people to spread violence across the country,” reiterated Trinamool Congress supremo.
Regaining more confidence after winning all the three assembly seats in Kharagpur, Karimpur and Kaliagunj in the recently concluded by-polls, Banerjee chanted fresh slogans against CAA and NRC and invited every common man in the state to join her ‘peaceful’ protest rallies that are being organised in the city.
TMC chief, during the rally also announced that she would be addressing two more gatherings against the CAA and the NRC on Thursday at Rani Rashmoni Road and Park Circus Maidan on Friday.
“CAA and NRC will have to be withdrawn. TMC will not allow the BJP to conduct divisive politics in Bengal. We will also not allow any detention camp to be built in our state. No one will have to leave Bengal and India,” said Banerjee.
