Mamata Banerjee accuses Centre of divide and rule' for votes

Kolkata: Tearing into the Modi government over the drop-out of around 40 lakh people from Assam in the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced of meeting and pleading Union home minister Rajnath Singh during her New Delhi visit to give them a lease for survival. She also accused the central government of deliberately throwing out Bengalis and Biharis from the neighbouring state adopting “divide and rule policy” for “vote-politics” ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.

A furious Trinamul Congress supremo even declared to visit Assam and send a parliamentary delegation of her party there to take stock of the ground realities. Describing the people of Assam as ‘brothers and sisters’ she however kept the door ajar to offer shelter to those who she said have become “refugees in their own country.” Questionning the silence of the BJP governments at the Centre and in Assam the Trinamul supremo added asked whether that the deployment of additional 15 companies of the central para-military forces would be used to “bulldoze” those people who have been excluded from the National Register of Citizens.

Expressing her deep concern Ms Banerjee, before leaving for New Delhi, said at state secretariat: Nabanna, “We are worried about the the National Register of Citizens draft which has been released. Around 40 lakhs people including Hindus, Muslims, Bengalis have been dropped out of the list. Those whose names have been dropped out tried to get their names enlisted. Several people have been deprived even after submitting their documents including Aadhar cards. They have been dropped out just for their identity. We can not contact with them because the connection including internet services has been snapped.”

West Bengal chief minister mentioned, “Is the reinforcement of 15 companies sent by the central government for bulldozing or forcefully eviction? We will land in greater trouble if they are in trouble. Why are we saying this? This is an instance of throwing out Bengalis and Biharis. Bangladesh will be the most affected due to it. Where will these people go if they are pushed back but Bangladesh refuse to accept them saying: I would not allow your people? Now someone is asking to look after the issue after the National Register of Citizens was done. What does it mean?”

West Bengal chief minister Banerjee complained, “Long time has passed before this big decision going to be taken. But no need was felt for consultation. No one discussed it with me or my chief secretary or home secretary or the director general of police. I will urge the Union home minister to save these people. I will appeal to him to not to isolate them this way. They are the human beings. Do not play fire with humanity. I will seek time from the Union home minister Rajnath Singh. If I get the time in New Delhi, I will go to talk to him personally about it.”

The Trinamul supremo added, “We are sending a team of our party MPs to Assam. I will inform later about the schedule of their visit because the connectivity has been stopped totally. Apart from this, I can also visit there if required. I am concerned because peace is going to be hampered which would not have happened had the government played its role instead of indulging in vote-politics. How many people can they exclude for the vote-politics? How many persons can be lynched, tortured and intimidated that they can isolate such a huge number of pepople? We do not believe in divide and rule policy.”

Asked if the National Register of Citizens excluded people come to stay in West Bengal from Assam, the Trinamul supremo added explained, “How can they come to Bengal? They have their homes and businesses there.”

She added, “They have become the residents of Assam after staying there with their families for the last 50-60 years. No one would want to leave their native places. We will give it a thought if they come even after that. But the main question is why will they be evicted? We can not push them back.”

K09