You might lose everything if you apply on CAA portal: CM Banerjee

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, on Tuesday issued a note of caution against enrolling on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) portal, saying applicants might ultimately lose everything.

“Some of you might be happy over the CAA notification. If you are happy, then I am also happy. But when you are sad, I am also sad. I am telling those who will be enrolling at the CAA portal, try to understand something. How can one be granted fresh citizenship when one is already a citizen? Without citizenship how could one cast votes for such a long time?” the Chief Minister questioned, while addressing a public meeting at Habra in North 24 Parganas District on Tuesday afternoon.

“Once you apply at the portal, you will become an illegal immigrant from a genuine citizen. Once you become an illegal immigrant what will happen to your property or profession? You will be sent to detention camps. Those will also become illegal. So think again and again before you apply,” the Chief Minister warned.

She also claimed that the CAA was a ploy to divide Bengal and ultimately drive away Bengalis from India.

“In Delhi a number of Bengali-speaking people have been harassed after they were branded as Bangladeshis,” the Chief Minister said.

According to her, the CAA notification is yet another ploy of the BJP to create division among people. “That is why besides Bangladesh and Pakistan, it has also included Afghanistan, though it does not have any international border. Why weren’t Sri Lanka and Myanmar, who have borders with India, included? This is just a ploy to polarize some religions against one particular religion,” she said.

From the dais she also raised a war cry that she would not allow introduction of CAA or NRC in West Bengal.

“I will oppose that, even if I have to sacrifice my life for it,” the Chief Minister said.

As the Chief Minister was speaking at Habra, celebrations over the CAA notification were going on just 15 kms away at Thakurnagar, which is considered to be the hub of Matuas, a Backward Class refugee community from neighbouring Bangladesh.

Reacting to her comments, the Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari said CM Mamata Banerjee was making a futile attempt to instigate the people from the Muslim community on the CAA issue.

“But she will not be successful since the Muslim brothers have realised that CAA is meant for granting citizenship and not taking it away,” he said.