The BJP-led central government's move to implement the new citizenship law and its proposal to conduct an NRC exercise across the nation might lead to a "civil war-like situation", Krishna Bose, a former TMC MP and kin of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, said on Friday.
The Centre was going all out to target the Muslims, as was evident from its "adamant attitude" in enacting the contentious law, she claimed.
"Today, we are in a terrible situation, where the Centre is forcing its divisive principles (on people). It's clear that the Muslims in our country are being targeted by the Centre. And they (the Centre) are stating it directly.
"They are talking about other communities, the Buddhists, the Jains, and others, but only one name has been omitted and here lies the controversy. Why not include everybody who faced persecution? There is no doubt that CAA is targeted towards the Muslims," Bose told PTI.
The octogenarian claimed that the implementation of CAA was an attempt to turn the country into a 'Hindu Rashtra', in tune with the vision of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
"So far, the protests had been mixed... But what (the country) is going through might almost lead towards a civil war... I hope not but it looks like that," she contemplated.
"The ideology of the RSS to have a Hindu Rashtra has become a part of their (BJP's) belief system, too. They are very adamant about it and they are openly saying it," she said, referring to Union home minister Amit Shah's firm stand to implement the CAA.
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The former TMC MP also contended that the Narendra Modi government had no right to force its decision on common people, just because it won the polls by a mammoth majority.
"People are being labelled as traitors for protesting against the government. This is unacceptable. Freedom of speech and expression is at stake. You cannot say anything. This is terrible," she said.
Drawing a parallel between the present-day India and Nazi Germany, she said, "Everyone is recounting the days of (Adolf) Hitler. This was exactly how the situation was in 1930s, and he (Hitler) was quite popular at that time. Today the situation somewhat looks similar," she stated.
On the role of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in spearheading the protests against the CAA, Bose said: "It's she who began the agitation. She has been registering her protest with all heart and soul."
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