West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stated that she will not allow the implementation of the National Register of Citizens in the state. Banerjee made this declaration at a public rally in North 24 Parganas district.
Emphasizing that the NRC had caused immense suffering to people in Assam. It would not be implemented in West Bengal. Banerjee stated that the people of the state would never allow the NRC to be implemented. She also said that she would fight tooth and nail to ensure that it did not happen.
Banerjee’s opposition to the NRC is not new. Banerjee has been a vocal critic of the NRC exercise. She has stated that it aims to target and victimize certain communities.
Banerjee’s stance on the NRC
Banerjee has been consistent in her opposition to the NRC, which she believes is a tool to divide people on religious lines. She has criticized the exercise for causing immense hardship to people in Assam, where it was first implemented.
Banerjee has also accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of using the NRC to divert attention from other issues, such as the economic slowdown and rising unemployment.
Banerjee’s stance on the NRC has gained support from several other opposition leaders. They have also opposed the exercise on similar grounds. However, the BJP has defended the NRC, stating that it is necessary to identify and deport illegal immigrants.
Implications of Banerjee’s opposition to NRC
Banerjee’s opposition to the NRC could have significant implications for the exercise in West Bengal. The NRC could have a severe impact on the large population of Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state.
The Centre’s push for the implementation of the NRC across the country could lead to a confrontation with Banerjee, who has taken a strong stance against it. Banerjee’s opposition has added a new dimension to the ongoing debate over the NRC, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold.