MAMATA WARNS BJP OF BLOODBATH, CIVIL WAR

Taking the BJP head on, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the ruling party of playing divisive politics and cautioned that the citizen identification exercise would lead to bloodbath and a civil war.

Speaking at a function in New Delhi, Mamata Banerjee underscored that the canvas of the identification exercise was far bigger. "What is going on in Assam? The NRC problem, it is not only (about) the Bengalis, it is (about) the minorities, it is (about) Hindus, it is (about) Bengalis (and) it is (about) Biharis. More than 40 lakhs people voted for the ruling party and suddenly they have been made refugees in their own country."

At this point, Mamata’s tone became shrill.

"The NRC has a political motive. We will not let this happen. They (BJP) are trying to divide the people. The situation cannot be tolerated. There will be a civil war, bloodbath in the country," the West Bengal chief minister declared.

She also made it clear that the Centre had opened a Pandora’s Box. "What if Bengalis say Biharis can't stay in Bengal, South Indians say North Indians can't stay there, and North Indians say South Indians can't. What will be state of this country? Because we are together, our country is a family," Mamata asserted.

She also said, "I am surprised to see that the names of our former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's family members are not on the NRC

Assam list. What else can I say? There are so many people whose names are not there."

"How will they live in Assam? Where will they get food, shelter, schools?" Banerjee said, referring to the 40 lakh people whose names have not appeared on the National Register of Citizens.

Banerjee went on relentlessly. "Who are they to decide who is Indian? Only the BJP people are Indian and all non-BJP people are non-Indian. The name of Indian politics is tolerance. The name of Indian politics is democracy," she declared.

The Bengal BJP -- whose chief remarked on Monday that the same exercise for drawing up a citizen's list will be undertaken in Bengal once the BJP comes to power in the state -- was not spared either.

"Are they guardians of West Bengal? Who are they to take a call on West Bengal? The West Bengal government is there... There should be some limitations," the Chief Minister said in a no-holds barred attack as her party kept up the pressure in Parliament, stalling the functioning of Rajya Sabha.