In Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebuffed the accusations of Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the inability of the West Bengal government to halt infiltration, emphasizing the necessity of enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). They attributed this alleged failure to the ineffectiveness of the Border Security Force (BSF), which operates under Shah’s jurisdiction.
“The BSF, overseen by Amit Shah’s ministry, is responsible for guarding the borders. Thus, any infiltration across Bengal’s international borders falls under Shah’s purview. His criticism stems from the BSF’s shortcomings in preventing infiltration, rather than any fault of ours. Shah’s attempts to segregate Hindu and Muslim minorities for political gain are evident. Essentially, he acknowledges the BSF’s inadequacy,” remarked TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
Responding to Shah’s insinuation, during an interview with news agency ANI, that public support for Mamata Banerjee would wane, Kunal commented, “Throughout the campaign leading up to the 2021 Assembly elections in Bengal, numerous BJP figures, including Shah, frequented the state. It is evident that he is well aware of where the people’s allegiances lie.”
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghosh also criticized Shah, stating, “Amit Shah accuses the Bengal government of being unable to distinguish between infiltrators and refugees, and accuses Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of jeopardizing national security. Yet, who truly undermines national security? Introducing the CAA, a law labeled discriminatory by the United Nations, which confers citizenship based on religion, particularly just before elections, is a deliberate attempt to sow discord and division.”
Accusing Amit Shah and the BJP of engaging in vote bank politics, Ghosh asserted, “Your ‘Viksit Bharat’ rhetoric holds no sway, prompting the introduction of these openly divisive and hateful laws to polarize India for electoral gain. Mr. Shah, have you considered the repercussions of the NRC exercise in Assam, where 13 lakh Hindus lost their citizenship? What provision have you made for their welfare? Who truly qualifies as an infiltrator, Mr. Shah? Must we differentiate between infiltrators and refugees based on religious affiliation? Will religion serve as the criterion for distinguishing between the two?”
Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of Bengal and the leader of the Trinamool Congress, has maintained her staunch opposition to the implementation of the CAA, asserting that she will not permit the controversial legislation to take effect in the state. “This is yet another attempt to sow discord within the state. We are all citizens of this nation, and we will not stand for the enforcement of this law here. Its implementation would effectively render applicants stateless,” Banerjee declared during a gathering in Habra, North 24 Parganas.