West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concerns over the lack of clarity in the recently notified rules for the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. She cautioned the people of the state against applying for citizenship under these rules, warning that they might be labeled as refugees or infiltrators and could be excluded from government schemes. Speaking at an administrative meeting in Habra, North 24 Parganas district, she highlighted the connection between the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), urging citizens not to be swayed by what she described as the BJP’s agenda ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
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Concerns Over Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) Application Process
“Those who are being asked to apply, let me tell you…Once you apply you will be marked as refugees despite being citizens. Such people will become infiltrators once they apply. It is a game of taking away rights. If you apply, there is no guarantee whether you will get citizenship or not. You will lose your property. You will be deprived of government schemes. This is BJP’s plan before the polls. All civil rights will be taken away if you apply. Think a thousand times before applying for this. It is connected with the NRC,” she said.
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Mamata Banerjee Vows to Resist CAA Implementation
Mamata said she would not allow CAA to be implemented in West Bengal. “I will not let them implement CAA. In my state, I will not let anyone snatch the basic rights of people. For that, if I am required to sacrifice my life, I will do that,” she said. Saying that the Act has been formed to harass people, Mamata pointed out that the United Nations “has categorically stated that refugees should not be displaced and thrown out of a country”. “It is basic humanity. Have we ever seen that citizenship is being granted based on religion?” she said.
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