Do not support violence during anti-CAA protests : Mamata

Asserting that violence in any form is not acceptable during protests or demonstrations, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said political parties and leaders should behave in a more responsible way.

Banerjee Thursday held a protest rally from Madhyamgram to Barasat in North 24 Parganas district, her tenth against Citizenship Amendment Act.

Addressing the protest march, she announced that her party's student wing - the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad will organize an indefinite sit-in in Kolkata till the Centre withdraws the amended Citizenship Act.

Banerjee said that she is against the violence that had been reported from various parts of the state during the anti-citizenship bill protests.

The TMC supremo, who has also held four public meetings across the state against the contentious Act, said "As long as I am alive, I will not allow CAA, NRC, NPR.

"But we (TMC) don't support violence during anti-CAA protests. Political parties and leaders should behave in a more responsible way. Violence is not the right form of protest," she said, referring to the reports of arson and vandalisation in the state during Wednesday's nationwide central trade union strike.

"We were the first ones to raise voice against the Citizenship Act, NRC and the NPR. This time, the NPR form has sought six new personal details. I will request all of you (people) not to share your details with anyone," she said.

Dubbing the National Population Register(NPR) updation process as "a prelude to pan-India NRC" Banerjee asked people not to share personal details with anyone.

"If someone comes to your place and seeks details, just decline their request," she said.

The state government had in December stayed all activities related to the preparation and updation of NPR.

"Work to revise the voters' list is going on. You must all include your names ... However, if anyone comes from outside and asks your name, your father's and grandparents' names, their birthplace, do not share details.

"To get citizenship, you will be first declared a foreigner for five years. So, they (BJP government at the Centre) will take away your citizenship and all the services you receive. They want to deceive people. Poor people will stand in queues and they will discriminate among people on the basis of political affiliations to grant citizenship," said Banerjee, who is a strident critic of the saffron party.

Reacting to allegations that she was trying to stall the process by which refugees would be granted citizenship, she said those bringing the charge should know that her government has legalised refugee camps in the state.

Without mentioning any party, the chief minister said people are being "misled and misinformed" about the amended Citizenship Act and urged them not to pay heed to the "misinformation campaign".

Referring to reports that the Centre was planning to conduct the entire process of granting citizenship online, Banerjee said the BJP government was coming up with "one lie after another every other day".

"In some places, they are saying it (NRC, citizenship) will be done online. Can rice be cooked online? One can apply online, but there is a need for physical existence too. Without the active support of the state government they can never implement CAA. Rest assured we will never allow that to happen," she added.

The amended citizenship Act has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the state, with the TMC opposing the legislation tooth and nail, and the BJP pressing for its implementation.