On Monday (April 17), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee resorted to fear-mongering after the Centre sought assistance from the State government in identifying illegal Aadhar cardholders.
At about 17 minutes into her press conference, she claimed that the Modi government is targeting a particular community by carrying out the ‘Aadhar exercise’ in North and South 24 Pargana districts.
Mamata Banerjee alleged that those whose Aadhar cards are found ‘incomplete’ would be declared non-citizens and dispatched to detention camps. “They are trying to play with the NRC (National Register of Citizens) card,” she claimed.
“They are playing this card since 2014. They (the Union government) had to withdraw the NRC exercise due to agitation by the public. But now they have sent this letter… You understand what is this? The same detention camps of Assam,” she brazened it out.
Mamata Banerjee then read out a letter, addressed to the CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), sent by an under-secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
“I am directed to refer to ongoing exercise for verification/ updation of illegal Aadhaar cards in the selected districts and to forward a list of the specific location of exact pockets of settlements of illegal foreigners in those selected districts to enable UIDAI to be more focussed in the exercise for the elimination of illegal Aadhaar cards,” the letter read.
It must be mentioned that the Centre has launched a pilot project in 8 different States to identify illegal Aadhar Card holders and had sought assistance from the respective State governments.
Aadhar not mandatory in West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee
Ahead of the Panchayat elections, Mamata Banerjee used the said letter to cast doubts about the implementation of the NRC in West Bengal. “There will be a first phase, then a second phase… What is the point of this exercise? To bring about NRC,” she said at about 25 minutes into the press conference.
“Whenever there is an election, BJP resorts to polarisation, casteism, communal tension,” Mamata Banerjee alleged. At about 37 minutes into the event, she announced, “In our State, Aadhar is not mandatory. I will not allow this. I have no compulsion to carry out Central orders.”
“Law and Order is a State subject. I will not take part in NRC or CAB. Whoever lives here is already a citizen of this country. Here, people have ration cards, and run schools and colleges. Why should they be subjected to this citizenship test every year? How long will this continue?” she emphasised.
