Left students protest against Mamata for meeting Modi

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday faced protests by Left students for meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and allegedly "diluting fight against CAA".

Left students were protesting against her meeting Modi at Raj Bhavan here and sharing st with prime minister at a function later in evening on first day of his two-day visit to state.

y lanched a dharna at Dorina Crossing at Esplanade and said it would continue as long as prime minister is in state.

Members of SFI, AISA, IC of Presidency University students unions chanting 'Azadi' and 'Shame Shame' broke three barricades put up near st of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad's (TMCP) sit-in at Rani Rashmoni Avenue, t far from Raj Bhavan, and demanded explanation from Banerjee as she rushed from a programme attended by Modi to venue.

y wanted to kw why Banerjee met PM, who, y said, is behind implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens and "diluted fight" against it.

"We were heading towards Raj Bhavan. But we were prevented from doing so by police near TMCP's dharna site on nearby Rani Rashmoni Avenue. When CM arrived, we demanded an explanation from her," Subho Biswas, a student of Presidency University, claimed.

An SFI leader Tapas Das said protests would go on as long as Modi was in city on Sunday.

"We demanded an explanation from Mamata Banerjee about her meeting prime minister at Raj Bhavan and sharing st at an official programme ... re is a secret understanding between Mamata Banerjee and Modi. She has been exposed.

"We will sit on dharna at Esplanade crossing till prime minister leaves city tomorrow," he said.

Banerjee, who was seen arguing with Left students, sought to clarify her stand and said it was her "constitutional obligation to meet PM".

"I am only leader who met Narendra Modi and told him that CAA, NRC and NPR cant be implemented. We have been protesting from day one against CAA. issue before both of us (TMCP and Left students' unions) is same, so please don't deviate from it.

"I request you all to protest in a democratic way ...

We should fight anti-CAA battle toger. We are fighting on same issue," she told Left students unions.

She also asked TMCP students, who were separated by a barricade put up by police, to remain calm and t retaliate.

Banerjee was seen sitting on dais surrounded by security guards and TMCP students raised counter slogans chanting 'Bande Mataram' and 'Down with BJP and its cohorts'.

A senior Kolkata Police Police officer said Banerjee is still present at sit-in venue and officers and extra policemen are present re.

"We are alert," he added.

Im Source: PTI