Sending NRC notices to Bengalis in Assam attack on identity: WB CM
The ongoing National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam has sparked a heated debate across the country, with many questioning the motives behind the exercise. The latest development in the saga has seen West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee taking a strong stand against the BJP-led government in Assam, accusing them of launching a “attack on the identity” of Bengalis.
In a recent statement, Mamata Banerjee criticized the Assam government for sending NRC notices to bona fide citizens of West Bengal, including those who have lived in the state for generations. The Bengal Chief Minister accused the BJP party of trying to create a sense of fear and uncertainty among the Bengali-speaking population of Assam.
“The BJP-led government in Assam is trying to attack the identity of Bengalis living in the state,” Mamata said in a press conference. “Sending NRC notices to genuine citizens of West Bengal is unacceptable and violates their basic rights.”
Mamata’s statement comes at a time when the NRC process in Assam is in its final stages. Over 3 million people have been left out of the final NRC list, with many of them being Bengali-speaking citizens of the state. The BJP-led government in Assam has justified the move, saying it was necessary to weed out illegal immigrants from the country.
However, Mamata Banerjee has strongly protested against the move, saying it is an attempt to divide the people of Assam on linguistic and cultural lines. “The BJP government is trying to create a sense of fear and uncertainty among the Bengali-speaking population of Assam,” she said. “This is unacceptable and we won’t tolerate it.”
Mamata also accused the BJP government of trying to politicize the NRC process, saying it was a “double-engine” government that was only interested in spreading communal hatred and dividing the people. “I’ll ask the double-engine government of the BJP to mind their own business,” she added.
The Bengal Chief Minister’s statement has sparked a heated debate across the country, with many supporting her stance and accusing the BJP government of trying to discriminate against Bengalis living in Assam. The move has also raised questions about the motives behind the NRC process and whether it is being used to target specific communities.
The NRC process was first initiated in 2013 by the then Congress-led government in Assam, but it was stalled due to various reasons. The BJP government in Assam revived the process in 2014 and has been working on it since then. The final NRC list was published on August 31, leaving over 3 million people out of it.
The fate of these left-out individuals hangs in the balance, with many of them facing the possibility of being declared foreigners and deported from the country. The move has sparked widespread protests across Assam, with many demanding that the government take steps to include the left-out individuals in the NRC list.
In the meantime, Mamata Banerjee’s statement has added fuel to the fire, with many calling for the BJP government to reconsider its stance on the NRC process. The controversy is likely to continue for some time, with the NRC process expected to be a major issue in the upcoming elections in Assam.
Source: https://repository.inshorts.com/articles/en/PTI/88142afd-fa2f-492e-82ed-cc18206938b8
