While protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is intensified in Assam and other states of Northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress to support the Bill in Parliament.
Addressing a rally in West Bengal’s Thakurnagar, home to the Dalit Matua community, Modi said India is the only place that can provide shelter to thousands of Hindus, Sikhs and refugees of other communities, who came from neighbouring countries to save themselves from communal violence.
“After the country was divided during independence, thousands of people including the Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis had to take shelter in India due to communal violence,” he said.
“These refugees should get the right to citizenship. India is the only place that can provide them shelter,” Modi said addressing a packed ground here in North 24 Parganas district.
“That’s why our government has come up with Citizenship Amendment Bill. I urge the Trinamool Congress leaders to support the Bill and help the refugee brothers and sisters to get their rights,” he said.
The Lok Sabha has already cleared the Bill, which is now pending in the Rajya Sabha.
Taking a swipe at Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, Modi said the massive gathering at his rally shows why Banerjee and her party were resorting to violence to stop the Bharatiya Janata Party here.
“After seeing the crowds and the enthusiastic scenes, I understand why didi (elder sister — as Banerjee is affectionately called) is resorting to violence,” Modi said.
“This is your love, which has scared those who are doing drama of saving democracy and are bent on killing innocent people,” he added.