Kolkata: West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Wednesday exuded confidence that the central government will implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“BJP has a track record of keeping its promises. We had promised to build the Ram Mandir; we have done it. CAA is our goal, and we will achieve it. It is our promise that we will implement CAA. I have complete faith that CAA will be implemented before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” Majumdar told ANI.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has several times said that she would not allow the implementation of CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
According to the BJP, CAA and NRC will stop illegal infiltration across the borders.
CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities from Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who had entered India on or before December 31, 2014. The Centre has said that citizenship to the eligible beneficiaries of CAA will be given only after rules under the legislation are notified.
Majumdar hit out at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) saying that the party cannot “disassociate” itself from the comments made by Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra about Goddess Kali.
“TMC can’t detach itself from the comments of Mahua Moitra. If TMC actually doesn’t endorse it, they should take action – they should either expel her or suspend her from the party for a few days,” said the West Bengal BJP.
Majumdar also demanded the arrest of Mahua Moitra.
“Our Mahila Morcha will stage a sit-in protest, go to police station and request that she (Mahua Moitra) be arrested,” said Sukanta Majumdar.
Mahua Moitra had on Tuesday issued a clarification on her earlier statements about Kali and said that she has “never backed any film or poster or mentioned the word smoking”.
Taking to Twitter she said, “To all you Sanghis- lying will NOT make you better Hindus. I NEVER backed any film or poster or mentioned the word smoking. Suggest you visit my Maa Kali in Tarapith to see what food and drink are offered as bhog. Joy Ma Tara.”
A massive controversy erupted over a poster shared by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai’s on her documentary ‘Kaali’. The poster of the film depicted a woman dressed in a costume portraying the goddess and smoking. A flag of the LGBT community is seen in the background.
Condemning the remarks made by Moitra, the ruling TMC, however, distanced itself from the comments. “The comments made by @MahuaMoitra at the #IndiaTodayConclaveEast2022 and her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity and are NOT ENDORSED BY THE PARTY in ANY MANNER OR FORM. All India Trinamool Congress strongly condemns such comments,” the party said in a Twitter post.
Moitra on Tuesday said, “within Hinduism, being a Kali worshipper I have the freedom to imagine my Kali in that way… that is my freedom and I don’t think anyone’s sentiments should be hurt. I have the freedom… as much as you have to worship your god.”
She stated, “For me, Goddess Kali is a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess. And if you go to Tarapith (a major Shakti peeth in West Bengal’s Birbhum district), you will see sadhus smoking. That is the version of Kali people worship (there).” (ANI)
