Hindustan Times (Ranchi)

Won’t allow CAA, NRC, UCC in West Bengal, says Mamata

- Press Trust of India letters@hindustant­imes.com

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she will not allow implementa­tion of the Citizenshi­p (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.

Addressing a gathering at the Red Road in Kolkata on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, she claimed that some people will try to “engineer riots” during elections and urged those who participat­ed in the programme “not to fall prey to the plot”.

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the culminatio­n of the fasting month of Ramzan.

“We will not accept the CAA, NRC and UCC. We will not accept any forcible implementa­tion of these. I do not know how to hate people. I do not deliver hate speeches. I want everybody to live like brothers, in peace and harmony. If we will live unitedly, nobody will be able to cause harm to us. Do not let anybody break this unity,” Banerjee said while addressing the gathering at the Red Road.

“Till I am alive, nobody will be able to cause harm to you. I will keep fighting them. I have learnt from you people not fearing death, but it’s the other way round,” she added.

“... there will be people who will be trying to engineer riots in the name of religion. You keep your cool and we will not let them to succeed in initiating riots here,” Banerjee said.

In an apparent reference to the BJP, Banerjee alleged that with the elections closing in, the central government agencies are being “used” to scare the people, mainly the opposition leaders.

The chief minister asserted that her party TMC’s fight is against the BJP.

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she will not allow implementa­tion of the Citizenshi­p (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.

Addressing a gathering at the Red Road in Kolkata on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, she claimed that some people will try to “engineer riots” during elections and urged those who participat­ed in the programme “not to fall prey to the plot”.

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the culminatio­n of the fasting month of Ramzan.

“We will not accept the CAA, NRC and UCC. We will not accept any forcible implementa­tion of these. I do not know how to hate people. I do not deliver hate speeches. I want everybody to live like brothers, in peace and harmony. If we will live unitedly, nobody will be able to cause harm to us. Do not let anybody break this unity,” Banerjee said while addressing the gathering at the Red Road.

“Till I am alive, nobody will be able to cause harm to you. I will keep fighting them. I have learnt from you people not fearing death, but it’s the other way round,” she added.

“... there will be people who will be trying to engineer riots in the name of religion. You keep your cool and we will not let them to succeed in initiating riots here,” Banerjee said.

In an apparent reference to the BJP, Banerjee alleged that with the elections closing in, the central government agencies are being “used” to scare the people, mainly the opposition leaders.

“A few people want that during this election to scare people in the name of agencies. Drive the CBI, ED, Income Tax, and NIA after them. I will tell them (BJP) to construct a jail and put everyone behind the bars. But will you be able to put the entire population of 130 crores in jail?, I am ready to give blood for the country, but not ready to allow this torture go on,” she said.

The chief minister asserted that her party TMC’s fight is against the BJP.

“We are in West Bengal with your blessings. Remember it’s the TMC who is fighting against the BJP. We will decide about the INDIA bloc later. But in Bengal, please see that no vote goes to any other party,” she said.

In response to the TMC chief, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattachar­ya said people wanted to hear the CM’s plan for the economic uplift of all communitie­s but instead, she attempted to “sow the seeds of division” among people. “Instead of spreading the message of amity, brotherhoo­d among the Muslim brethren at the gathering on Red Road, the CM tried to sow the seeds of division and polarisati­on for her narrow vote bank politics,” Bhattachar­ya alleged.

 ?? PTI ?? TMC chief and chief minister Mamata Banerjee, along with her nephew and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, addresses a public meeting in Kolkata on Thursday.
PTI TMC chief and chief minister Mamata Banerjee, along with her nephew and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, addresses a public meeting in Kolkata on Thursday.

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