Kolkata: Cementing her fierce opposition against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday, declared that she can lay down her life, but her government would not allow any detention centre to be built in the state.
Her assertion came at a fair in Naihati of North 24 Parganas, a month after her cabinet colleague Ujjwal Biswas announced the state government’s plans to build two detention centres — one in New Town, and another in Bongaon, although the state correctional administration minister had ruled out its links with the NRC.
Allaying fears about detention centres, the Trinamul supremo attacked the BJP saying, “They talk about building detention camps. Who is in power here? It is us. I am ready to sacrifice my life but I will not allow BJP to build detention camps.”
The CM elaborated, “It could happen in Assam where BJP is in power. They are in power in Delhi. Your right exists in Delhi. But my right prevails here.”
She added, “I became member of the parliament with the blessings of people. I have been brought up in Bengal with your blessings. I can understand law and constitution well. So there is no misinterpretation.”
The Trinamul chief, who earned sharp criticism for her government’s steps to start the National Population Register, in the state, also claimed that she earlier confused NPR with the Census, which was why her government earlier kickstarted the NPR process, but later halted it after finding out it was anti-people.
“I earlier said that the NPR would be implemented. I had then thought it to be Census. Now I hear that the entire law has been changed. Why would I then execute it? No work, that leaves the people in trouble, can be done by me or my party or my government,” she said.
