In its counter- offensive move against the countrywide protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), BJP working president J P Nadda lashed out at the Opposition parties- Congress, Trinamul Congress and Left today. Addressing a rally organised by the state BJP unit at Shyambazar in the city today in support of the CAA, Mr Nadda slammed the Mamata Banerjee government, Opposition Congress and Left and said, “They are doing it for vote-bank politics and not for the country.”
Accusing Banerjee of ‘misleading’ masses on the CAA, he claimed that the latter had always placed politics over national interest. “The Act grants citizenship does not take it away from people. Unfortunately, Mamata Banerjee has always given priority to her politics over national issues. Her party Trinamul Congress is resorting to false propaganda on CAA. Congress and CPI-M are also misleading the masses on the amended law” he alleged.
As chief minister, she did not take decisive action to prevent the incidents of violence unleashed by protesters against the Act in some districts of Bengal. “She holds the home portfolio, but she did nothing when the protesters went on rampage torching trains and buses for the past 15 days. She is making an appeal to them (protesters) instead of taking strong action,” Mr Nadda said.
“Our government has to protect all religions. Muslims have been appointed to the topmost constitutional posts like President, vice-president and Chief Justice of the country. In Pakistan, Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities are now endangered because their percentage has shrunk to three now from 23 per cent during partition,” Mr Nadda said. The Mouta and Rajbanshi communities have been treated as refugees in Bengal for years, but the Narendra Modi government has given them citizenship. Mr Prakash Karat used to voice concern over refugees, but his anxiety shot up soon after Modiji solved the issue”, he claimed.
The Congress-led by Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Mr Rahul Gandhi opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the parliament without knowing anything about Article (14) of the Constitution. Article (14) provides for equality before the law or equal protection of the laws within the territories of India. The senior BJP leader targeted Miss Banerjee on several other issues like triple talaq, the dengue outbreak in Bengal, Ayushman Bharat, Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY)etc.
Forcefully rebutting Mr Nadda’s criticism the state urban development minister Mr Firhad Hakim said, “Mr Nadda should concentrate on his party-ruled Uttar Pradesh. What is happening there? How many people have died in violence there? Our chief minister has effectively managed the law and order situation here in our state and prevented any untoward incident.” BJP leadership said that Mr Nadda sounded the party’s poll bugle at today’s rally for the forthcoming elections in municipal bodies and assemblies scheduled in early 2020 and 2021 respectively in the state.
BJP has shown impressive gains bagging 18 Lok Sabha seats in the last parliamentary elections in the state emerging as a strong challenger to the Trinamul Congress government ahead of assembly polls in 2021. Impressed with the large turnout of BJP party workers and supporters today, Mr Sayantan Basu, party leader, said, “Kolkata has witnessed many rallies in the last few decades. But today’s massive turnout showed that Bengal wants CAA.”
Earlier in the day, a rally started from Subhodh Mullick Square around 2 pm and reached Shyambazar at 3.30 pm through Ganesh Avenue, C R Avenue. Apart from Mr Nadda senior leaders Mr Kailash Vijayvargiya, national general secretary, Mr Dilip Ghosh, state president, Mr Rahul Sinha led the rally from the kick-off point. BJP workers performed a colourful chhau dance with drums before the rally started.