West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Border Security Force (BSF) of "managing" voters in a queue during a past election in Balurghat, the Lok Sabha constituency of BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar. Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, expressed her concern over reports of BSF issuing identity cards in border areas and directed district magistrates (DMs) to issue work permit cards for those crossing the border for work.
Addressing a public distribution program in Balurghat, Banerjee cautioned against accepting such cards, labeling them as potential tools for an "NRC trap." She expressed her commitment to preventing the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in West Bengal and criticized the BJP for bringing up issues like NRC, Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and Uniform Civil Code ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Banerjee's remarks were prompted by BJP leaders' recent assertions that the CAA would be implemented across the country before the parliamentary elections. Responding to Banerjee's statement, the state BJP asserted that the CAA is a law of the land, and no one can stop its implementation.
Banerjee also accused BJP-ruled states of restricting non-vegetarian food choices, urging people to unite under the TMC's banner to counter the alleged alliance formed by the Congress, CPI(M), and BJP in the state. She announced that the TMC will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal alone, not as part of the opposition bloc. Banerjee mentioned that the central government has stopped clearing funds due to West Bengal in various schemes and gave an ultimatum until February 1, threatening to hold a sit-in if the dues are not cleared.
(With Agency Inputs)
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