Mamata Banerjee Leads Mega Protest Rally; Says Will Never Allow NRC, CAA In Bengal

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee led a massive protest march through Kolkata on December 16, against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The march came a day after the protest by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University turned violent.

Hundreds of her party leaders and supporters walked with her, carrying posters and flags against the controversial law for 7 km.

Mamata Banerjee hitting out against the Central government said, “If you want to dismiss my government, you can, but I will never allow citizenship law and NRC in Bengal.”

Mamata Banerjee and the Narendra Modi led BJP government have been engaged in a sword fight for the longest time. She has been a trenchant critic of the Citizenship Amendment Act when the Cabinet first drafted the bill.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar lashed out at the TMC supremo and called the protest march from Red Raod to Jorasanko Thakurbari “unconstitutional”. Ties between the WB Chief Minister and the Governor have deteriorated over the course of time.

“I am extremely anguished that CM (chief minister) and Ministers are to spearhead rally against CAA, the law of the land. This is unconstitutional. I call upon CM to desist from this unconstitutional and inflammatory act at this juncture and devote to retrieve the grim situation,” the Governor tweeted.

.@MamataOfficial. I am extremely anguished that CM and Ministers are to spearhead rally against CAA, law of the land. This is unconstitutional. I call upon CM to desist from this unconstitutional and inflammatory act at this juncture and devote to retrieve the grim situation.

— Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) December 16, 2019

Earlier, the Chief Minister had urged people to join her rally against the “unconstitutional” Citizenship Amendment Act.

“A mega rally will be held today in Kolkata to protest against unconstitutional CABBill and #NRC. It will begin at 1 pm near the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Red Road and end at Jorasanko Thakurbari. Come, let us all, every section of society, join this people’s movement in a peaceful manner within the ambit of law,” Mamata Banerjee tweeted.

A mega rally will be held today in #Kolkata to protest against unconstitutional #CABBill & #NRC. It will begin at 1pm near the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Red Road & end at Jorasanko Thakurbari.(1/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 16, 2019

Mamata Banerjee plans similar marches till Wednesday, December 18, to underline her fierce opposition to the citizenship law, which, she says, she will not allow in Bengal.

The new law seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who escaped persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and entered India before 2015.

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