Will not deprive anyone of citizenship: CM in Matua bastion

“To get citizenship, you will be first declared a foreigner for five years. So, they (the BJP government) will take away your citizenship and all the services you receive. Poor people will stand in queues and they will be discriminated on the basis of political affiliations to grant citizenship,” said Banerjee, deviating from her usual stance that the CAA was discriminatory on the basis on religion.

She held the protest rally from Madhyamgram to Barasat in North 24 Parganas district, her tenth against the CAA, under which persecuted minorities from neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, those who have been living in India since 2014, will be granted citizenship.

In the Barasat division of North 24 Parganas, the population of Matuas, who are Scheduled Caste Bangladeshi immigrants, is higher than other parts of West Bengal.

Reacting to allegations that she was trying to stall the process of granting citizenship to refugees, she said those bringing the charge should know that her government has legalised refugee camps in the state.

“Don’t teach me about Matuas. When ‘Baro Ma’ (Matua matriarch who died last year) was ill, we looked after her,” she said.

The CM added people are being “misled” about the amended Citizenship Act and urged them not to pay heed to the “misinformation campaign”. “I am now a swadeshi. Through CAA, central government will make me bideshi.”

(With PTI inputs)