City of joys turned to city of protests as PM Modi visits Kolkata
Kolkata: On one side Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the first time came together during the ongoing tussle over Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), National Population Register (NPR), on the other Esplanade area of Central Kolkata witnessed sea of people from all walks of life with black flags in hand and chanting ‘Modi Go Back’ slogan.
Chanting slogans like, ‘Modi Hi Hi and Dilip Ghosh Tor Bachhur Shamal (Dilip Ghosh mind your calves)’ student of Jadavpur university burnt Modi’s effigy at Y channel crossing and sang songs in the middle of the streets criticizing the saffron camp.
Adity Dey, a second year student who was seen standing on top of a private bus holding a poster criticizing the BJP state president said that by the state head one can understand what political party BJP is and also that the dream of the saffron camp to bring a new change in 2021 election will just be a dream.
Many a time we have seen the dubious face of our Chief Minister but hopefully this time we will not have to face the same. Though she had gone to meet the PM, her stand on CAA and NRC won’t be changing. However, BJP’s stand on dividing the country on religious lines should be stopped. The Midnapore MP now, even claims that JNU student Aishe Ghosh staged a drama and the blood was actually red ink. He should be punished for making such comments, and voters should clearly show that the dream of the BJP to form state government in Bengal in 2021, remains a distant dream,” added Dey.
Dilnawad Ahmed, a protesting student claimed that not witn not just black flag, if but also cow dung cakes would be gifted by him to the PM for being adamant on NRC, NPR and CAA, if he got a chance to meet the PM. Ahmed believes that the said laws or agendas is futher dividing the country on religious line.
“BJP worships cows, so cow dung will equally be important for them. If I ever I get to meet Modi personally I will present him cow dung cakes for bringing in evil bills to divide the country more,” said Ahmed.
“People of a particular community worship Lord Rama but even they hate it when the name of their God is intentionally politicized to create vote banks. In Bengal the lost glory can be restored only by Bam (Left) and not by chanting fake ‘Jai Sri Ram’. So we are showing black flag to Modi and have also painted his poster black and kicked the same. He should leave Bengal at the earliest,” mentioned Mitra.
CPI (M) leader and politburo member Sujan Chakaraborty said that the the Left Fronts fight against the ‘fascist BJP government’ will not stop till the CAA is scrapped.
Anjana Mitra of CPI (ML) who along with few other Left Front workers were seen garlanding a picture of Modi with cow dung cakes and then kicking the poster of the Prime Minister alleging that the ‘anarchist’ doesn’t have place in Bengal.
“People of a particular community worships Lord Rama but even they hate it when the name of a God is intentionally gets politicized for vote bank. In Bengal the lost glory can be restored only by Bam (Left) and not by chanting fake ‘Jai Sri Ram’. So we are showing black flag to Modi and also painted his poster black and kicked the same. He should leave Bengal at the earliest,” mentioned Mitra,
Few student organization chanting ‘Azadi’ and ‘Shame Shame’ broke three barricades put up near the stage of the ruling Trinamool Congress’ Chhatra Parishad’s sit-in- demonstration at Rani Rashmoni Avenue, demanding explanation from Banerjee for meeting Modi, who they said is also instrumental behind CAA and NRC.
Apratim Mukherjee and Ramaiya Khatoon who enacted a skit depicting Modi and Banerjee tried to inform the common people through their statire that Mamata Banerjee despite her slogans against the BJP-led Central government for implementing NRC across the country, is supporting Modi and union home minister Amit Shah to have NRC implemented.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee visited the protesters at Esplanade in Kolkata and asked them to remain calm peaceful and assured everyone that she will never allow NRC in Bengal.
“The CAA notification will only be on paper and it will never be implemented. This comes a day after the Home Ministry issued a notification that the Act will come into effect from 10 January across India,” said the chief minister.
Speaking about her meeting with the Prime Minister, Banerjee said that she had informed the PM that he should reconsider NRC, NPR and CAA as the people in Bengal are not accepting it.
“PM Modi has said that he is here for certain programmes, has asked me to come for a meeting in Delhi. Come what may, I will not allow CAA, NRC and NPR to be implemented in Bengal, till I am alive. I am showing solidarity to all the protesting students and I will not let anyone to be pushed out of Bengal,” claimed the CM while she participated in the demonstration by TMCP.
Taking dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee said that people from Delhi glorify themselves in the name of Swami Vivekananda, but we work on Swami Vivekanada’s ideology throughout the year.