New Delhi, Jagran News :
As the northeastern states boil over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday reiterated that the West Bengal will not
implement the vexed legislation ‘under any circumstances’. She also announced a series of rallies against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which was approved by the President on Thursday night after getting the nod from Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
“We will never allow NRC exercise and Citizenship Act in Bengal. We will not implement the amended Act, even though it has been passed in Parliament,” Banerjee said as reported by PTI, accusing the centre of forcing non-BJP states to implement the law. “The Citizenship Act will divide India. As long as we are in power, not a single person in the state will have to leave the country,” the chief minister added.
Mamata also referred to the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s visit to Assam, which has now been cancelled due to the violent protest in the state. Mamata Banerjee said that the cancellation of his visit was a dark spot on the country’s reputation.
Also Read: Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s visit to India postponed amid protests over Citizenship Act in northeast
Shinzo Abe was scheduled to visit India next week to attend a three-day summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Guwahati, but the visit was cancelled today morning owing to the protest prevailing in Assam.
The Act, which intends to make it easier for non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship, has been accused by rights groups and opposition parties of being discriminatory and violating the constitutional right to equality.
Mamata Banerjee has been speaking against the Bill even before it was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Addressing a rally in Kharagpur, she said “Don’t be scared of this bill. We are with you, and as long as we are here, nobody can impose anything on you”, as Union Home Minister presented the bill in Lok Sabha. On Thursday, she also found support from her counterparts in Kerala and Punjab who have termed the act as ‘unconstitutional’.
Also Read: After Mamata Banerjee, Kerala and Punjab CMs declare not to allow Citizenship Act in their states
Massive protests began in the northeastern states as soon the bill was proposed the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Monday. Several students’ organisations have called for a bandh in Assam on Tuesday. Since then the intensity of the protest increased rapidly, with additional troops being deployed in Assam and Tripura to maintain the law and order.
Several towns and cities were placed under indefinite curfew, including Guwahati, the epicenter of protests, besides Dibrugarh, Tezpur, and Dhekiajuli. Mobile internet services in 10 districts of Assam as well as Meghalaya’s Shillong, has been blocked. Thousands of protesters have descended on the streets of Northeastern cities defying curfew and created a ruckus leading to a lathicharge and shelling of tear gas by the security personnel. Two protesters were also killed in police firing on Thursday evening.
As the northeastern states boil over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday reiterated that the West Bengal will not
implement the vexed legislation ‘under any circumstances’. She also announced a series of rallies against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which was approved by the President on Thursday night after getting the nod from Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
“We will never allow NRC exercise and Citizenship Act in Bengal. We will not implement the amended Act, even though it has been passed in Parliament,” Banerjee said as reported by PTI, accusing the centre of forcing non-BJP states to implement the law. “The Citizenship Act will divide India. As long as we are in power, not a single person in the state will have to leave the country,” the chief minister added.
Mamata also referred to the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s visit to Assam, which has now been cancelled due to the violent protest in the state. Mamata Banerjee said that the cancellation of his visit was a dark spot on the country’s reputation.
Also Read: Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s visit to India postponed amid protests over Citizenship Act in northeast
Shinzo Abe was scheduled to visit India next week to attend a three-day summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Guwahati, but the visit was cancelled today morning owing to the protest prevailing in Assam.
The Act, which intends to make it easier for non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship, has been accused by rights groups and opposition parties of being discriminatory and violating the constitutional right to equality.
Mamata Banerjee has been speaking against the Bill even before it was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Addressing a rally in Kharagpur, she said “Don’t be scared of this bill. We are with you, and as long as we are here, nobody can impose anything on you”, as Union Home Minister presented the bill in Lok Sabha. On Thursday, she also found support from her counterparts in Kerala and Punjab who have termed the act as ‘unconstitutional’.
Also Read: After Mamata Banerjee, Kerala and Punjab CMs declare not to allow Citizenship Act in their states
Massive protests began in the northeastern states as soon the bill was proposed the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Monday. Several students’ organisations have called for a bandh in Assam on Tuesday. Since then the intensity of the protest increased rapidly, with additional troops being deployed in Assam and Tripura to maintain the law and order.
Several towns and cities were placed under indefinite curfew, including Guwahati, the epicenter of protests, besides Dibrugarh, Tezpur, and Dhekiajuli. Mobile internet services in 10 districts of Assam as well as Meghalaya’s Shillong, has been blocked. Thousands of protesters have descended on the streets of Northeastern cities defying curfew and created a ruckus leading to a lathicharge and shelling of tear gas by the security personnel. Two protesters were also killed in police firing on Thursday evening.
