By Sourav Tiwari
Jhargram (West Bengal) [India], August 7 : Following the BJP's demand for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the double-engine government of trying to take away the citizenship of people in the state.
While addressing the public in Jhargram, "I am thinking, are we really independent? I hope our citizenship will not be snatched. Please don't deprive us."
The Chief Minister alleged that the 'double engine government' is trying to push citizens into detention by falsely branding them as Rohingyas and attempting to push them back into Bangladesh.
She also criticised the BJP for frequently moving to court instead of focusing on public welfare.
"The double-engine government is trying to snatch our citizenship, detain us by calling us Rohingyas, and push us back into Bangladesh. The BJP is always going to court. I have a ten-rupee note from 1912, and it's written in Bengali. Yet they claim there is no Bengali language," Banerjee said.
Earlier, BJP MP and Bengal state president Samik Bhattacharya hit out at the Bengal CM saying that that she is mistaken if she thinks she will win with the help of illegal votes.
BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said to ANI, "Let them protest. Mamata Banerjee's demand is why the names of those who died should be removed. If she thinks she can come to power for the 4th time with the help of Bangladeshis, Jihadis, Rohingyas, illegal migrants, and illegal voters, then she is mistaken."
He added that the Chief Minister's objections to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process is an attack on the constitutional institutions. He further added, "How will the people of India tolerate such an attack on a constitutional institution? Whatever Mamata Banerjee has to say, she should go to the Supreme Court and tell them... This government will go this time."
A day earlier, Mamata Banerjee held a protest march in Jhargram, alleging harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states.
Mamata Banerjee said, "If genuine voters are removed from the voter list, then I will protest in the entire world. Malpua (BJP leader Amit Malviya) is demanding my arrest. Even if you come to arrest me or shoot me, I will keep protesting against the insult of the Bengali language."
"There is an NRC conspiracy behind the ongoing SIR activity. In Assam, nearly seven lakh people have been removed from the voter list, which includes Hindu Bengalis. Notices are being sent in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar and Indian residents are being sent to Bangladesh. Not a single name should be excluded from the voter's list. Our two officers received notice from ECI regarding their suspension. There is no need to fear. Eight to nine months are left for the polls, but the BJP has started to suspend people from now itself. ECI is acting as the agent of the BJP," she said.