Mamata dares Centre to start NRC exercise in Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the BJP-led central government of tying to evict people from the country in the name of the NRC in Assam and dared it to launch a similar exercise in Bengal.

"They (Bharatiya Janata Party) are trying to wrongfully evict many people from Assam. Some are even threatening to evict people from Bengal through a similar exercise here. I dare them to lay a finger on us. They will understand what Bengal is made of," Banerjee said at a rally held here to commemorate the foundation day of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the students wing of the Trinamool Congress.

"Bengal has protested against the situation in Assam and will continue to do so. We all are Indian citizens. If they try to drive out even a single Indian citizen, we will not spare them," she said.

The Trinamool Congress supremo claimed that those asking for birth details of three generations of others' families should submit their own family records first.

"They are asking for our mother's and grandmother's birthday. Do they themselves remember the birthdays of their mother, grandmother or great grandmother?" Banerjee asked.

"They say they will start the exercise (National Register of Citizens) in Bengal. I want to see who dares to do that. We are Bengal tigers. It will not be so easy. Before you start anything here, remember that your days will be finished in 2019. The BJP will be finished in 2019," she claimed.

Coming down heavily on the Centre, Banerjee claimed that a conspiracy was on to break the country while the lives of common people were getting ruined because of several scams and price rise under the current regime.

"The non-performing assets of public-sector banks have increased to Rs 14.5 lakh crore under this government. The banking system has been ruined. The biggest bank fraud took place under them. Nobody knows how much black money has been retrieved since the demonetisation move," she said.

She accused the Centre of using its agencies to "disturb" and intimidate opposition leaders and creating an Emergency-like situation in the country to ensure the BJP's victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"People talk about Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. But this is an even bigger Emergency. People do not have the right to express views or follow their religion," Banerjee added.

--IANS

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