NEW DELHI: Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday reiterated that the Citizenship Amendment Law, 2019, which has been duly passed by the Parliament, will be implemented across the country, including West Bengal.
Speaking to reporters, Naqvi said, ''CAA has been passed by the Parliament and so it will be implemented in the whole country. West Bengal is part of India and therefore it also has to implement it.''
Taking a swipe at the West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, Naqvi said, ''Mamata Banerjee should read history and the Constitution.''
The remarks from Naqvi came a day after Mamata made it clear to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that her government will not implement CAA and the NRC in West Bengal and urged him to withdraw the controversial law.
During their meeting in Kolkata, Mamata told the Prime Minister to rethink and withdraw the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Speaking to the media outside Raj Bhavan, Mamata said, “I told him that maybe this is not the appropriate time for me to say this. But we have been agitating against CAA and NPR. I told him we are against dividing people. No one should face atrocities. Please rethink on CAA. Please withdraw it. He said he is here to attend some scheduled programmes and that such matters can be discussed in Delhi later.''
Soon after meeting PM Modi, Mamata attended a TMC students wing sit-in demonstration in Kolkata against CAA where she said, "CAA notification will be only on paper, it will never be implemented, we would not allow it."
Mamata Banerjee has been the strongest critic of the Modi-led government at the Centre and has been critical of the imposition of CAA, she even declared that the Act will not be implemented in West Bengal.
The state has seen several anti-CAA protests and demonstrations many of which have been supported by the CM herself. Incidentally, after the meet, Banerjee sat on a dharna opposing CAA and NRC called by the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad at a location which is about 200 meters away from Raj Bhawan.
However, in a separate event, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition of spreading lies on CAA and challenged Rahul Gandhi and for an open debate on the issue.
Shah said that CAA is an act to provide citizenship and take away any citizens' rights, he added that the opposition is trying to misguide people in the matter.
Shah further slammed opposition parties saying that their lie will not sustain for long as BJP workers are continuously running campaigns to educate people on the matter.
Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance, Shah said that during Modi's tenure India observed progress in all the segments, adding that a new chapter has begun in India's development. He said people believe in Modi because of his constant communication with people.
