Mamata hits out at BJP over ‘using’ CAA, NRC for Gujarat assembly election

Mamata Banerjee also accused the BJP of trying to encourage separatist elements in the state by raking up statehood demands.

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party Wednesday, alleging it is 'using' the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) with an eye on the next month's Gujarat election. Addressing party workers in Krishnanagar, she said she would 'never allow the implementation of CAA' in her state.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee. (HT file)

"Whenever any election approaches the BJP speaks of implementing CAA and NRC. With upcoming Gujarat assembly polls later this year and Lok Sabha elections just a year-and-a-half away, it has again started to flare up the CAA issue. Will the BJP decide who is a citizen? Matuas are very much citizens of this country,” she was quoted by news agency PTI.

A political row was triggered last week after the union home ministry's decision to grant citizenship certificates to members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan living in two districts of Gujarat.

The centre said district collectors of Anand and Mehsana would grant the certificates under Section 16 of the Citizenship Act (1955), but BJP leaders in West Bengal claimed that the Centre began enforcing CAA, 2019.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee also accused the BJP of trying to encourage separatist elements in the state by raking up statehood demands. "The BJP is fanning separatism by instigating Rajbanshis and Gorkhas in northern parts of the state," she said.

"We will never allow the division of West Bengal," she added, noting 'since BJP has already reached saturation point in many states, it is attacking opposition parties and arresting opposition leaders by maligning them'.

Gujarat votes in two phases - on December 1 and 5. Votes will be counted on December 8.

(With inputs from PTI)