Attack on students most unfortunate: CM
Kolkata: Expressing concern over the attack on the student community by the BJP and leading yet another protest march over the amended Citizenship Act, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asked students to carry on with their protests and "not fear anybody".
She said: "It is most unfortunate that the students have been threatened by the police in Delhi and have been asked to vacate their hostels. I express solidarity with the movements launched by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University and IIT Kanpur. I have been associated with student movements since my college days. The students have a democratic right to express their views freely. We will always be beside them," she added.
The Trinamool Congress supremo also urged the BJP to withdraw the anti-people National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) while addressing a meeting at Mullick Bazar.
Earlier in the day, she took part in a protest march from Rajabazar to Mullick Bazar. This was the fifth rally in which Banerjee has taken part in the last 10 days.
Calling the movement against NRC and CAA a "people's movement," she said: "It is the movement to establish our right. There will be no NRC and CAA in Bengal. We are all citizens of India and will continue to remain so."
Banerjee alleged that BJP has been trying to thwart the movement by adopting repressive measures. "In Uttar Pradesh and Assam around 20 agitators have been gunned down. We do not know how many people have been killed. I warn BJP not to play with fire," she added.
Speaking on Karnataka withdrawing the financial assistance to the next of kin of those who have died in police firing, she said: "They have termed the agitators as anti-socials. It is a shame."
The Trinamool supremo urged the people to intensify vigil against the BJP. She alleged that in Uttar Pradesh her party leaders were not allowed to meet with the next of kin of those who died in police firing due to prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC promulgated in those areas.
She said BJP leaders are making contradictory statements to mislead people and alleged that through NRC and CAA the party is trying to create a divide between the Hindu and Muslim communities, adding: "We will not allow them to divide the country on the basis of religion. We respect all the religions and people from different communities stay happily in Bengal."
The Trinamool supremo will again hold a rally in Purulia on December 30 to protest against NRC and CAA while on January 3, 2020, she will hold a rally in Siliguri. She urged party leaders to hold rallies in every block and organise dharna on December 28.
She maintained that peaceful protests will continue as long as the new citizenship law is not withdrawn.
