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BJP will greenlight CAA if it wins Bengal polls but Centre to implement: Shah
On February 11, Shah had said the Centre will enforce the law once the entire country’s population is vaccinated and the Covid-19 pandemic ends
Union home minister Amit Shah, while on an election tour of Bengal, said on Friday that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins the assembly elections, it will greenlight the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state, but the Centre will decide when and how to enforce the new law.
“The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government took a stand against the CAA. Our government will undo that. The rest will be decided by the Centre. We are committed to giving citizenship rights to people who entered India as refugees,” Shah said at a press conference in Kolkata when asked about BJP’s earlier stand.
On February 11, Shah had said the Centre will enforce the law once the entire country’s population is vaccinated and the Covid-19 pandemic ends. He made the statement at an election rally at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district while addressing the Dalit Matua community, which has demanded the law’s immediate implementation. Members of this scheduled caste community live in large numbers in North 24 Parganas, Nadia, East Burdwan and parts of north Bengal districts where the assembly polls are yet to be held.
However, while releasing the BJP’s election manifesto for Bengal on March 21, seven days before the eight-phase elections began, Shah said, “Once we are in power after May 2, the first meeting of our Cabinet will announce the implementation of the CAA.”
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Significantly, in Assam, where polls were also held, the BJP made no announcement on this issue, although a chunk of the state’s population comprises refugees from Bangladesh. BJP national president JP Nadda, while releasing the poll manifesto in Assam, said CAA cannot be changed through a state legislation and did not commit to its implementation.
The law offers citizenship to non-Muslims who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh before 2015. Its critics, among whom chief minister Mamata Banerjee is a prominent face, insist that it the act is discriminatory and unconstitutional as it leaves out Muslims and links citizenship to faith in a secular country.
The Matuas are a part of the big Dalit Namasudra community that can influence poll results in around 80 of the state’s 294 assembly seats. The Matuas entered India from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) after Independence and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War to escape religious persecution.
The TMC reacted by saying the BJP is constantly shifting its stand because it is not sure of securing the Matua votes.
“The fact that Shah is constantly changing his stand on this issue speaks of inconsistency. The BJP has realised that it is losing the support of the Matuas,” said TMC Lok Sabha member Saugata Roy.
There was a controversy related to this issue during the first phase of polling in West Bengal on March 27, when Banerjee accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating the model code of conduct by trying to “woo” the Matua community during his Bangladesh visit. On that day, the PM paid a visit to the Thakurbari at Orakandi, which is the most sacred pilgrimage site for the Matuas. He was accompanied by Matua leader Shantanu Thakur, the BJP’s Lok Sabha member from Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district.
On Friday, Shah, while replying to questions on why giant rallies are being held by political parties amid the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Bengal, said the Election Commission (EC) decides when polls are to be held. “There is no provision for a temporary arrangement when the term of an elected government comes to an end. Hence polls are being held. But people are taking precautions,” said Shah.
Shah also targeted Banerjee for her remarks on the central armed police force (CAPF) and political violence during the elections.
“She is accusing the Union home ministry of controlling the CAPF. She should be aware that they are under the control of the EC during polls,” said Shah.
“Keep an eye on CRPF personnel. Gherao them because they do not let people cast their votes. While one team will engage them in conversations the other team will cast votes. This is how everyone can exercise their franchise,” the TMC chief had said during a rally in Cooch Behar.
The Union home minister also said by appealing to the Muslim community to vote for the TMC, the chief minister sent out a message to the other communities. “She has realised that she is losing the minority votes. But her appeal to the Muslims was heard by others as well. The others have to decide whether voting can be done on religious lines,” said Shah.
Asked whether the BJP will continue to give monthly stipend to clerics of the state’s mosques if it comes to power, Shah said, “The BJP does not believe in partisan policies. The new government will take a decision.”
Shah said his party plans to transform Kolkata and make the City of Joy the “city of the future’ with a fund of ₹22,000 crore. “We will strive to include Kolkata in the heritage city list of the UNESCO,” he added.
