A day after Union Home Minister and BJP heavyweight Amit Shah attempted to further the BJP’s political agenda in West Bengal by taking on Mamata Banerjee for her feisty opposition of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the West Bengal Chief Minister has slammed Shah for his failure to prevent close to 50 deaths during the Delhi violence.
Addressing a gathering at the Netaji Subhash stadium Banerjee said, “Delhi has suffered a planned genocide which was later camouflaged as a communal riot.” She minced no words as she said, “Your arrogance and politics of communal polarization won’t pay anymore.”
On Sunday, Shah had accused Mamata Banerjee of neglecting “Sharanaarthi” (refugees) facing persecution, and caring only about “Ghuspethiye” (infiltrators), thereby demarcating migrants along communal lines. He asked, “Mamata didi, why are you opposed to giving citizenship to Namshudras and Dalits? Why do you not consider refugees as your own people? Why are you only concerned about infiltrators?”
Taking the bull by the horns, Banerjee called out Shah for his sly and rather despicable attempt at labeling immigrants along communal lines, thereby creating a culture of ‘othering’ and as well as ‘alienation’ of minorities. Banerjee said, “All refugees are already the citizens of India whether they had come before and after the Partition as well as those who walked in, post-liberation of Bangladesh. The government should give it to those are left out after their applications. Why make religious differences among them and continue with your bloody game just to ensure your perpetual rule?”
Finally, taking on the enthusiastic chants of “Goli maaro s**lon lo” that greeted Shah when he arrived in Kolkata, Banerjee said, “Who are you to decide about the identity of the traitors and punish
them? It is the prerogative of people of India, not your government or party.” She called the chant “demonic and criminal”.
Related:
WB post poll analysis: Saffron fades as one heads South along the Bangladesh border
WB bye elections: TMC knocks the wind out of BJP, wins all three constituencies
‘I’m your paharadar, nobody can displace you from Bengal’: Mamata on NRC
Amit Shah’s venomous vitriol and political myopia in West Bengal