BJP march in Kolkata to demand NRC in Bengal too

The West Bengal BJP took out a march here on Thursday to demand the publication of a National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bengal also to drive out "infiltrators from Bangladesh" from the eastern state.

The march from south Kolkata's Deshapriyo Park to Maidan area was led by state Bharatiya Janata Party President Dilip Ghosh, National Secretary Rahul Sinha, and state General Secretary Sayantan Basu.

"We demand the publication of the NRC in West Bengal as well. Infiltration from Bangladesh is rampant here. These infiltrators are involved in all sorts of illegal activities like bomb-making, smuggling, rioting and running syndicates. They must be deported to Bangladesh," state BJP women's wing President Locket Chatterjee said while addressing party workers.

Accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of letting the Rohingya refugees (from Bangladesh) settle in certain Bengal districts, the BJP leader claimed that the "NRC is a must" in the state to check infiltration and conduct fair elections.

"... Banerjee is allowing even the Rohingyas to settle in the state. She has too much compassion for illegal settlers from Bangladesh. She should first give peace to her own people," she said.

Ghosh also flayed Banerjee, claiming she was politicising the NRC issue in Assam, deliberately trying to malign the BJP and provoke the Bengalis by spreading falsehood.

"The NRC draft has been published in Assam on Supreme Court orders and has left out 40 lakh persons. If the process has some shortcomings, the state government and the court will look into it. But the way they (Trinamool) are politicising the issue and trying to provoke the Bengalis, both in Bengal and Assam, is condemnable," Ghosh said.

"Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress are trying to malign the BJP, but our party has no role in the publication of the NRC draft. They are blocking roads and railways here and creating a ruckus while there are no problems in Assam where the draft list has been published," he added.

--IANS

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