At a time when the ruling Trinamool Congress and Opposition parties CPI-M and Congress are intensifying their individual protest programmes against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), the BJP leadership is all set to show its strength in support of CAA and NRC in a mega rally in the city on 23 December.
The state unit of the saffron party has decided to organise the rally from Subodh Mullick Square to Shyambazar five-point crossing where Mr J P Nadda, BJP’s national working president, will lead the programme.
Sources in the BJP office said that the party leadership has already directed its district units to bring an army of BJP workers through small processions from different points like Howrah and Sealdah railway stations. BJP’s district offices in Howrah, Hooghly, North 24- Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Birbhum, Burdwan and Nadia have already been alerted.
A large number of Rajbanshi and Matua communities from some north Bengal districts and North 24-Parganas are expected to take part in the programme on Monday, sources said. The party leadership has also planned to bring out different tableaux, banners and festoons showing support to the CAA and NRC.
“We have already announced two mega rallies in Kolkata and north Bengal on 23 and 24 December respectively where our central and state leaders will take part and speak in support of the Act. Trinamul Congress, Left and Congress are misguiding the common people through their negative propaganda against the citizenship Act,” a senior BJP leader said.
“A section of protesters has unleashed violence destroying public property in the state in the name of protest against the Act. People won’t tolerate this and Bangladeshi infiltrators will have to leave the country,” he added.
Massive traffic disruptions are being feared in the city on Monday owing to several other protest rallies, other than the BJP’s programme, planned to take place in the city on that day. SFI will also organise protests against fascism, bringing out three processions from Howrah and Sealdah and Moulana Azad College on the same day. The processions will assemble at Rani Rashmoni Road.