Mamata will go to any lengths to secure vote bank: Dilip Ghosh

Claiming that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would go to any lengths to secure her vote bank, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Monday claimed that she had a "habit of resisting everything that was good for the country".

Addressing a public rally in support of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Ghosh said the ruling TMC always looked for ways to stop opposition parties from pursuing political activities.

Ghosh's convoy had met with protests by TMC supporters on its way to Baruipur, on the southern fringes of the city, where the rally was held.

"Banerjee, being an elected leader who took oath of the Constitution, is opposing a legislation that was passed in Parliament. If she thinks she can have her way just to secure her vote bank, she is wrong. We will never allow that," the state BJP chief said.

Maintaining that those that have destroyed public property don't belong to the nation, he iterated that Indian muslims have nothing to worry as the amended Act sought to filter out just illegal infiltrators from the community.

"Only Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh will have to leave the country," he insisted.

Ghosh claimed that Banerjee's protest marches against the CAA and NRC drew lower turnout, as people did not support her "anti-national" statements.

He, however, said NRC was necessary to weed out illegal immigrants, who "account for a major chunk of the TMC's vote bank".

The senior BJP leader also criticised the chief minister for opposing the exercise to update National Population Register.

"She has a habit of resisting everything that is good for the country. The CAA is a central act, which will be implemented across the country. Let's see how Mamata Banerjee stops its implementation in West Bengal," he stated.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 has been the latest political flash point in West Bengal, with Banerjee, who is among the most vocal critics of the saffron party, opposing the legislation tooth and nail and the BJP pressing for its implementation.

A tussle broke out between the BJP and the TMC supporters on Monday afternoon in Baruipur area, as workers of the ruling party waved black flags at Ghosh's convoy and raised "go back slogans".

A section of TMC supporters also tried to enter the venue of the BJP rally, but police intervened and dispersed them.

Earlier in the day, the CM, during a rally in Purulia, had said that the BJP was "trying to strip the country's bona fide citizens of their citizenship" with the implentation of the amended law.

She also urged political parties and civil societies to join hands and isolate the saffron party.