'Ensure your name on voters' list to avoid detention under garb of enforcing NRC'

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged people of the state to ensure that their names are on the electoral roll to avoid getting sent to detention camps under the garb of enforcing NRC.She was addressing a programme organised by the state government to distribute land pattas' (documents) to marginalised families from all districts.

"Ensure your name is there on the voter list, or else, you will be sent to detention camps in the name of NRC. It's a shame, shame and shame," Banerjee said, adding: "No one will give you your rights. You have to snatch it," she said.

Referring to incidents of "forcible takeover of land by the railway and airport authorities", Banerjee said: "No eviction will be allowed in Bengal without proper compensation and rehabilitation."

She urged people not to take correction and inclusion of new names in the voters' list casually. The exercise will continue till December 5. "Make sure that your name is there in the voters' list. In the garb of NRC, make sure that the central government does not strike your name off the list. Go to the voting centre and check your names," she said.

She said often it has been found that the names of one of the spouses have been spelt correctly while the name of the other person has been spelt wrongly. "Taking advantage of this the Election Commission will strike off the names of both the husband and wife. These things had taken place in Assam and names of many persons had been dropped," she said, adding: "Take it seriously as the Centre might say tomorrow that your name is not there in the NRC list and send you to the detention camp."

Banerjee reiterated that neither NRC nor detention camp will be allowed in Bengal. "Those who have voters' ID cards and other cards are citizens of the country and how can you tell them now that they are not Indian citizens. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come to power on the votes given by these people. Then how can you talk about NRC now," she maintained.

Refuting the reports published in a section of the press that the Lakshmir Bhandar cannot be given to those who do not have Aadhaar cards, Banerjee reiterated that those who do not have Aadhaar cards will get benefits under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.

Banerjee said that she will die but will not follow divisive politics. "I am ready to die for the people. I will never betray the people and do politics, that is how it works for me. I do not discriminate between people," she maintained.