Amit Shah vows to hold rally in Kolkata, dares Mamata Banerjee government to arrest him

BJP chief Amit Shah and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee are at the loggerheads over the Assam NRC issue.

NEW DELHI: BJP chief Amit Shah, who has been under the opposition attack for his remarks regarding the issue of Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC), has vowed to visit Kolkata for his proposed rally on August 11.

Addressing a press briefing, Shah said that it does not matter to him if the West Bengal government grants him permission, he will certainly visit Kolkata as per his schedule.

The BJP national president also dared the Mamata Banerjee government to arrest him if it wants.

''It does not matter whether I get permission or not, I will definitely go to Kolkata. If the state government wants, it can arrest me, '' BJP president Amit Shahs said.

It does not matter whether I get permission or not, I will definitely go to Kolkata. If the state government wants, it can arrest me: BJP President Amit Shah (file pic) pic.twitter.com/n3V39EWSww — ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2018

It is to be noted that Shah is scheduled to hold a rally in Kolkata on August 11. However, there was confusion over Mamata Banerjee-led state government's nod for Shah's proposed rally.

BJP's Yuva Morcha state president Debjit Sarkar had said that they have submitted a formal application to police, seeking permission for Shah's rally He also warned they will move court if police deny permission.

"We submitted an application to police on Tuesday, seeking permission for the rally. We have mentioned five venues in Kolkata for the meeting, but police are yet to give us permission. We need time to prepare for the rally," he said.

The Kolkata Police, later, cleared the air on the issue and said that the permission for the rally has already been granted. 

Some unwarranted speculation in social media about denial of permission to a political party on 11 August has come to our notice.
It is to clarify that on request permission for meeting has already been granted. — Kolkata Police (@KolkataPolice) August 1, 2018

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha was again adjourned till 12 noon on Wednesday, minutes after it met for the day over BJP chief Amit Shah`s remarks made in the House on Tuesday regarding the Assam NRC.

As soon as the House met, Congress members stood up to register their protest against Shah`s remarks. 

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma asked Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu to expunge Shah`s comments wherein he said, "you did not have the courage, but we have it to implement the NRC".

Naidu said that he would look into it and would expunge any remarks that were found uncalled for.

He then said that since Shah could not complete his speech on Tuesday, he should be given a chance to resume his speech on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of Assam.

The opposition members objected to it. Amid the noise, Naidu adjourned the House till 12 noon.

Amit Shah had on Tuesday asked the Opposition parties to make their stand clear on the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants while asserting that National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be implemented in Assam "to the last full stop" as his party stands for national security and Indians' rights.

Dismissing criticism by parties like the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Shah said in a press conference that the process for NRC, whose mandate is to identify illegal immigrants, was started in 2005, when the UPA was in power, but the government lacked the courage "to throw out illegal Bangladeshi immigrants".

"It (NRC) will be implemented to the last full stop and comma," he said.

Taking on West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who has accused the BJP of pursuing a 'divide and rule' policy, Shah alleged that she saw a "vote bank" in illegal immigrants for win in elections while his party was looking at the security of the country and rights of its citizens.

He rejected NRC's criticism on the ground of human rights, saying people who are talking about it should also be concerned about human rights of the people of Assam.

"Do people of Assam have no human rights? NRC has been made to protect human rights of Indian citizens," he said.

''No Indian citizen should be concerned and natives of any other state living in Assam would not be meted out any injustice, Shah said, adding, NRC will be implemented firmly and fairly,'' the BJP chief said.

Shah said the NRC is the soul of the Assam accord which the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had signed and it clearly stipulates that every single illegal immigrant would be identified and his name struck off the voters list.

However, several Congress governments, which ruled at the Centre and the state, lacked the courage to implement it.

The Supreme Court later stepped in and the Narendra Modi government started the process, he said, adding that the apex court is monitoring the entire exercise.

"I want to ask the Congress why you are questioning the NRC for vote bank. The Congress started the NRC process in 2005. But you lacked the courage to throw out illegal Bangladeshi immigrants because vote bank was important for you, not national security and rights of citizens," he said.

The Congress should not put vote bank politics should above national interest, he said. 

The claim by some parties that it will become an inter-state dispute is an attempt to create confusion, Shah said, condemning such statements.

He said the NRC in its initial inquiry has found that 40 lakh people living in Assam are not Indian citizens but people can file their objections and verifications will be done as per the process laid down by the apex court. 

(With PTI inputs)