‘Orchestrated lie’: Mamata Banerjee on Centre granting citizenship under CAA
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday claimed that the Central government’s announcement that it granted citizenship to 14 people under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was a “lie”. She dubbed the announcement as “politics” during the Lok Sabha elections.
Mamata Banerjee alleged at rallies in West Bengal that the Central government will throw those granted citizenship behind bars after declaring them foreigners.
Mamata Banerjee warned people against applying for citizenship under CAA. She also accused the BJP of publishing advertisements with false information.
“The BJP is publishing advertisements with false information. One such advertisement says that migrant Hindu and Sikh communities can apply for citizenship under the CAA. Please don’t believe them, you (the electorate) are all already bona fide citizens. If you apply, you will be driven out by being branded as a foreigner,” she claimed, reported PTI.
Mamata Banerjee claimed the “entire thing is a lie orchestrated by the BJP just as they did in Sandeshkhali”.
She appealed to the people of the Matua community to not fall for the alleged lie.
“This is falsehood and only a part of the politics before the elections. After the polls are over, people will be expelled from their homes and put in jails. Do not trust the BJP,” she added.
The CAA was enacted in 2019. However, in March this year, the Central government finally notified its rules.
The law makes it easier for non-Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh — who were persecuted and entered India before December 31, 2014 – get citizenship.
Mamata Banerjee claims the law discriminates against Muslims. She has vowed that she will not implement the law in West Bengal and revoke it if the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre.
On Wednesday, the Central government handed over the first set of citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to 14 people.
The BJP has promised in its Lok Sabha elections manifesto that it will grant citizenship to eligible people under CAA.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union minister Amit Shah have said in their rallies that CAA won’t be revoked.