'Bangladeshis who have been voting are Indians,' says CM Mamata; 'Oxymoron,' replies BJP

In a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that she was smothering the Constitution while masquerading as its saviour. He was responding to Banerjee’s public address on Tuesday where she asserted that Bangladeshis settled in West Bengal were Indian citizens. Terming it as an oxymoronic statement, he demanded a clarification from the West Bengal CM on whether she implied only persecuted minorities or all citizens of Bangladesh. As per the provisions of the recently passed CAA, persecuted individuals from 6 minority communities in Bangladesh can get Indian citizenship. 

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Mamata Banerjee assures people hailing from Bangladesh

Addressing a public meeting in Kaliaganj, Banerjee contended that people who had come from Bangladesh were Indian citizens. She assured them that there was no need for them to apply for citizenship again. Pointing out that they had voted in the Lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections, she asked them not to believe the utterances of BJP leaders.  

"Those who have come from Bangladesh are citizens of India...they have got citizenship. You don't need to apply for citizenship again. You have been casting your votes in elections, electing PM and CM...now they (BJP) are saying that you are not citizens...don't believe them," Mamata Banerjee remarked. 

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Mamata Banerjee's opposition to NRC and CAA

The West Bengal CM has vehemently opposed the NRC and CAA, stressing that she would not allow any resident to be thrown out of the state. The state assembly passed a resolution against NRC and CAA on September 6, 2019, and January 27, 2020, respectively which was backed by the opposition parties barring for BJP. However, her stance on illegal migrants from Bangladesh was radically different in 2005. At that time, she accused the then Left regime in WB of allowing illegal migrants from Bangladesh and asked for their expulsion in the Lok Sabha. But, as the Deputy Speaker had disallowed her notice to raise the matter, she stormed out of the House. 

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