Mamata to address gathering at Bongaon against CAA & NRC
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will address a gathering at Bongaon Stadium against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Tuesday.
Senior police officials visited the stadium and oversaw the security arrangements on Monday and also examined the helipad. Banerjee is likely to arrive at Bongaon around noon.
She is also set to take part in a rally at Ranaghat in Nadia district on Tuesday and another rally at Krishnanagar on Wednesday. Banerjee is the first leader to organise rallies against CAA and NRC and has already taken part in rallies at Kolkata, Purulia and North Bengal.
She had announced that she would be taking part in three rallies. There will be protest meetings in every block and a human chain will be organised against CAA and NRC.
Banerjee has agreed to sit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, provided CAA and NRC are withdrawn.
It may be recalled that though the state government has taken up several schemes for development of the Matuas including setting up of a university in North 24-Parganas, they did not support Trinamool Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
Mamatabala Thakur, the sitting Trinamool MP, was defeated by her brother in-law Shantanu. Banerjee was very close to Binapani Devi, the head of the Matua community and had made arrangements for her treatment.
Political experts feel that Tuesday's rally is very important as BJP has launched an intense campaign in the area in favour of CAA and NRC and have told the people that the Matuas would be benefitted by them.
To make Tuesday's rally a success, Trinamool Congress has already held several meetings. State Food and Supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick said that the meeting would witness a record number of people.
"People in Bongaon and its neighbourhood have extended full support to Mamata Banerjee and BJP's campaigns in favour of CAA and NRC did not have any impact on the area," he added.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress supremo also visited the dharna mancha of Trinamool Chatra Parishad (TMCP) at Rani Rashmoni Avenue on Monday evening and urged them to continue their agitation against CAA and NRC.
The TMCP has been organising the programme since January 8. They had a break for some days in the third and fourth week of January, when the Trinamool Mahila Congress and the party trade union held dharna at the same venue.
The student wing of the party had to make preparations for Saraswati Puja and some other party programmes during that period of time.
They have again started the movement. "My greetings are with you. You would continue your dharna till February 5 as of now and then I will give further directions," Banerjee said.
