News Brief
Union Home Minister Amit Shah (Pic Via Twitter)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday (23 April) that the Congress and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee lack the courage to touch the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Speaking at a rally in Karandighi in West Bengal's Uttar Dinajpur, Shah assured that all Hindu refugees would be granted citizenship under the new law.
He was campaigning in support of BJP's Raiganj candidate, Kartik Paul. The BJP had previously won the Raiganj seat in 2019, which is set for polling in the second phase on Friday.
Shah further criticized the Bengal Chief Minister's effectiveness in managing state border security, questioning, "Can Mamata Banerjee stop infiltration? She cannot. Only (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji can stop infiltration."
"You gave us 18 seats last time. Modiji gave Ram Mandir. Give us 35 seats this time, we will stop infiltration," he urged the voters.
The Union Home Minister also referred to the Sandeshkhali controversy, which has been a significant issue in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections in Bengal.
"In Sandeshkhali, Mamata Banerjee allowed women to be tortured so that her votebank is not affected. The High Court intervened and today the accused are in jail," Shah said.
"Mamata Banerjee came to power on the slogan of Maa, Maati, Manush. In Sandeshkhali, Maa was tortured, Maati was given to Bangladeshi infiltrators and Manush have been suffering due to corruption," Shah said.
"Vote for BJP and Mamata Banerjee's goondas will be hung upside down," he said, NDTV reported.
He also promised that the Centre will set up an AIIMS in north Bengal if the Narendra Modi-led BJP returns to power.
"We had planned an AIIMS in Raiganj. Mamata didi blocked it. This is Modiji's guarantee. Give us 30 seats, we will start work on north Bengal's first AIIMS," he said.