Centre's NRC nothing but a political game plan: Mamata

Kolkata: Coming down heavily on the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) by the Centre in Assam is nothing but a political game plan.

Addressing a press conference at Nabanna on Tuesday evening, Banerjee said: "Whenever elections are around the corner, BJP raises Indo-Pak or Indo-China contexts," she said.

The Chief Minister alleged that of the 40 lakh people whose names have been omitted, 38 lakh are Bengali-speaking Hindus and Muslims. "Out of the 38 lakh people, 25 lakh are Bengali-speaking Hindus and 13 lakh are Bengali-speaking Muslims. The remaining two lakh people are Hindi-speaking people from Bihar, Nepali-speaking people and so on."

The Chief Minister alleged that the only crime that the omitted ones have committed is that they speak Bengali. "BJP is trying to divide society on the basis of religion, caste and language." She wondered: "We have people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra in Bengal and we are not driving them out. Then why should some people, just because they speak a particular language, be punished."

Showing documents to the reporters present there, Banerjee added that many people whose names are not in the registers are voters since 1964 or 1965 or 1971.

"Even family members of a freedom fighter have been excluded. Are they infiltrators?" she said.

"After Partition in 1947, many people from Western Punjab came and got settled in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab respectively. Similarly, many people from East Pakistan came and settled in North Bengal and Assam," she said, adding: "BJP leaders should read the Nehru-Liaquat Ali agreement and Indira-Mujib agreement to get the real picture of the country." She maintained that the BJP has insulted those who had sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country.

Banerjee further alleged that in the name of NRC, BJP is trying to create an environment of fear psychosis in Assam. "Those who have tried to protest have been taken to detention camps and even children have not been spared. The media is purchased and they are calling those whose names have been dropped as infiltrators," she said. Sometimes the BJP is calling them "infiltrators and sometimes refugees and thus, fear is being created in the minds of the Indians whose names have been dropped."

Banerjee stated that in earlier days, people of the older generations did not have birth certificates. "Can Amit Shah, BJP national president, produce the birth certificates of his forefathers," she asked.

Banerjee said: "Fortunately I was born in West Bengal or else they would have stamped me as an infiltrator too."

The Chief Minister reiterated that "Super Emergency" is prevailing in Assam. "Not only our MPs were prevented from meeting those affected, the women MPs were tortured and manhandled. If everything had been in order, then why are the Central Forces kept in Assam which is such a small state," she questioned.