Mamata dares BJP to hold UN-monitored referendum on CAA

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday demanded a referendum by an "impartial organisation" like United Nation to see how many people were in the favour of Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

"Let there be an impartial organisation like United Nations or National Human Rights Commission hold a referendum to see how many people are in favour or against Citizenship (Amendment) Act", she said while addressing a gathering.

She also accused the BJP of "dividing" the country and said that the protests against the amended Citizenship Act will not stop unless the government withdraws the legislation, which aims to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from three countries in India's neighbourhood.

"Suddenly after 73 years of independence, we have to prove that we are Indian citizens. Where was BJP's at that time, BJP is dividing the country. Don't stop your protest because we have to get CAA revoked... Protests will get stronger as the day passes," Banerjee said while speaking at a protest here.

She also termed it 'dirty politics' and said, "You have won 38 per cent vote after doing so much and many of them are against you. It's bad luck for us that we have to give our fathers and mothers identity. All are citizens and suddenly who gave this idea that we have to give proof of it... They are doing dirty politics".

Banerjee has been vehemently opposing the amended Citizenship Act and has even said that she will not allow the legislation to be implemented in West Bengal. Several other non-BJP chief ministers have also echoed similar sentiments.

Protests erupted across the country over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and came to India on or before December 31, 2014.