NRC notice to Bengal citizen ‘systematic assault on democracy’, says Mamata

Kolkata: Calling the incident “nothing short of a systematic assault on democracy”, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hit out at the BJP after a Foreigners’ Tribunal (FT) in Assam allegedly served NRC notice to a 50-year-old resident who has been residing in Cooch Behar since birth.

Urging the Opposition parties to unite against what she termed the BJP’s “divisive and oppressive machinery”, Bengal Chief Minister alleged that it was proof that the ruling dispensation in Assam “was attempting to implement NRC in Bengal”, where it holds neither power nor jurisdiction.

“This is nothing short of a systematic assault on democracy. It is proof that the ruling BJP dispensation in Assam is attempting to implement NRC in Bengal, where it holds no power or jurisdiction,” Banerjee said on social media.

She said that she was shocked and disturbed to learn that the Foreigners’ Tribunal in Assam has issued an NRC notice to a legitimate resident of Dinhata and claimed that “premeditated attempt is being made to intimidate, disenfranchise, and target marginalised communities”. In a post on X, she stated: “This unconstitutional overreach is anti-people, and exposes BJP’s dangerous agenda of bulldozing democratic safeguards and erasing the identity of Bengal’s people.”

“I am shocked and deeply disturbed to learn that the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam has issued an NRC Continued from Page 1

notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi, resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar for over 50 years. Despite furnishing valid identity documents, he is being harassed on suspicion of being a ‘foreigner/illegal migrant’,” Banerjee further said on her X handle.

Calling for Opposition unity, she stated: “This alarming situation calls for urgent unity among all Opposition parties to stand up against BJP’s divisive and oppressive machinery. Bengal will not stand by as the constitutional fabric of India is torn apart.”

Later in the day, TMC national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee wrote on his social media handle: “This is nothing but an insidious attempt to introduce NRC through the backdoor in Bengal, a state where BJP has neither the mandate nor the moral right to govern. They are targeting Bengali-speaking citizens to create fear and insecurity, and attempting to replicate Assam’s Detention Camp Model. If this is the extent of BJP’s arrogance without even having a foothold in Bengal, one can only imagine the dystopia they would unleash if ever entrusted with power. This is no longer just a political battle. It is a fight to preserve the democratic, pluralistic, and inclusive ethos of our Constitution. We must not, and will not, allow BJP’s divisive, anti-people, and authoritarian agenda to take root in Bengal. Bengal will resist. Bengal will not bow.”

Uttam Kumar Brajabashi, a resident of Cooch Behar, who received the notice told reporters that his parents have been living in Bengal for generations and he had never stepped out of Cooch Behar and was stunned to receive the notice labelling him an illegal immigrant.

“I was born in Dinhata. I am 50 years old. My father was born in Dinhata. I have never been to Assam. I am terrified by the way the notice has been sent,” Brajabashi said.

North Bengal Development minister and Dinhata MLA Udayan Guha has accused the BJP of causing such incidents due to its anti-Bengali stance.

The leaders from the ruling party in Bengal apprehend that there may be an attempt to implement Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bengal also in the future like what is being done in Bihar. Many are indirectly seeing this as a form of NRC.

Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo was always vocal about the ‘pushback’ of Bengali-speaking migrant workers by labelling them as Bangladeshis, and she also protested the SIR in Bihar.