Shantanu Thakur’s claim on CAA in one week triggers protests
AJYCP demands immediate scrapping of CAA, threatens intensified agitation
Update: 2024-01-29 15:14 GMT
Kolkata/Guwahati: Widespread protests erupted in Assam after Union minister Shantanu Thakur in West Bengal said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will be implemented nationwide within the next seven days.
"Within the next week, CAA will be implemented not only in West Bengal but also across the country," Mr Thakur said at a public meeting in Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district.
Ruling Trinamul Congress and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee dismissed the claim as a "poll rhetoric", while vowing to prevent CAA implementation in the state.
Ms Banerjee accused the BJP of playing the CAA card again to woo the voters in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The TMC supremo advised locals in Cooch Behar, particularly Rajbanshis, to ensure that their names are on the voters' list to "protect themselves" from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA.
The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) organized a sit-in protest in Guwahati, threatening to escalate the agitation if it is enforced in the state.
“The CAA is simply an anti-Assam act and it has to go away. If CAA is implemented fully, the Assamese language will die,” the youth organisation said.
Asserting that the Assamese identity and Assamese community will cease to exist if CAA is implemented, the AJYCP leaders said that they have been demanding that instead of implementing CAA, the government should introduce Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Assam to protect the existence of indigenous people.
There were massive protests in some parts of the country after the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and received the President's assent subsequently.
While speaking at the programme in Cooch Behar, Ms Banerjee said, "They (BJP) have again started to speak about CAA. This is nothing but politics. We have given citizenship to everyone (and) they (people in border areas) are getting everything. They are citizens, which is why they are allowed to vote."
Ms Banerjee also accused the BSF of "torturing people and issuing separate identity cards to people residing in border areas".
She cautioned locals not to accept such identity cards from the BSF, else they would "fall into the NRC trap".
"The BSF is torturing people... it is trying to issue separate identity cards to people living in border areas. Never accept these cards. If they ask you, tell them you have Aadhaar and ration cards and do not need any other cards. If you accept those cards, you will fall into the NRC trap and (they) will strike you off (the citizen's list). But do not be afraid... I am always there like a tigress to protect you," she said.
She also reminded the people how four villagers were shot dead by the Central forces mercilessly in the district during the last Assembly election here.
"Within the next week, CAA will be implemented not only in West Bengal but also across the country," Mr Thakur said at a public meeting in Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district.
Ruling Trinamul Congress and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee dismissed the claim as a "poll rhetoric", while vowing to prevent CAA implementation in the state.
Ms Banerjee accused the BJP of playing the CAA card again to woo the voters in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The TMC supremo advised locals in Cooch Behar, particularly Rajbanshis, to ensure that their names are on the voters' list to "protect themselves" from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA.
The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) organized a sit-in protest in Guwahati, threatening to escalate the agitation if it is enforced in the state.
“The CAA is simply an anti-Assam act and it has to go away. If CAA is implemented fully, the Assamese language will die,” the youth organisation said.
Asserting that the Assamese identity and Assamese community will cease to exist if CAA is implemented, the AJYCP leaders said that they have been demanding that instead of implementing CAA, the government should introduce Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Assam to protect the existence of indigenous people.
There were massive protests in some parts of the country after the CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and received the President's assent subsequently.
While speaking at the programme in Cooch Behar, Ms Banerjee said, "They (BJP) have again started to speak about CAA. This is nothing but politics. We have given citizenship to everyone (and) they (people in border areas) are getting everything. They are citizens, which is why they are allowed to vote."
Ms Banerjee also accused the BSF of "torturing people and issuing separate identity cards to people residing in border areas".
She cautioned locals not to accept such identity cards from the BSF, else they would "fall into the NRC trap".
"The BSF is torturing people... it is trying to issue separate identity cards to people living in border areas. Never accept these cards. If they ask you, tell them you have Aadhaar and ration cards and do not need any other cards. If you accept those cards, you will fall into the NRC trap and (they) will strike you off (the citizen's list). But do not be afraid... I am always there like a tigress to protect you," she said.
She also reminded the people how four villagers were shot dead by the Central forces mercilessly in the district during the last Assembly election here.