Mamata Banerjee 'ready to shed blood', says 'no CAA, NRC' at Eid gathering

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Bengal will not accept the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens and Uniform Civil Code

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reaffirmed the state's opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). She warned voters to be wary of the agendas of "some people" during elections.

Addressing a gathering at an Eid prayer, Mamata said, "Eid Mubarak. It is the Eid of happiness. It is the Eid of giving strength. It is a big thing to observe this Eid by fasting for a month... We are ready to shed blood for the country but will not tolerate torture for the country. A uniform civil code is not acceptable. I want harmony in all religions. Your safety, your life."

“We will not accept the CAA, NRC, UCC… During elections, some people will try to engineer riots. Don't fall prey to the plot,” she said.

“If we live unitedly, nobody will be able to harm us,” the Bengal chief minister added.

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Banerjee had earlier pledged against enforcing the CAA in the state and cautioned people that seeking citizenship under the CAA would categorise them as foreigners, advising them against it.

Her statement follows a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's strong criticism of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader for allegedly "misleading" people regarding the CAA and "facilitating" infiltrators for political gains, stressing that refugees should apply for citizenship without apprehension.

Speaking at an election rally in Balurghat, Bengal, on Wednesday, Shah slammed the TMC government "for trying to save the culprits in the Bhupatinagar bomb blast case" and for initiating legal actions against NIA officials.

"Mamata didi is misleading people about the CAA. Why is she against refugees obtaining citizenship? I request refugees not to be afraid, please apply for citizenship, there will be absolutely no problem. No police case will be filed against you. Granting citizenship to refugees is our commitment," news agency PTI quoted Amit Shah as saying.

In March, the Centre implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, by notifying the rules, four years after its passage by Parliament. The Act aims to expedite citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.