Kolkata:
The opposition Left Front and the Congress on Friday took out a joint rally in the city to protest against the contentious amended Citizenship Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens.
The rally was led by West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra, Left Front chairman Biman Bose and senior CPI(M) leader Surjya Kanta Mishra from Subodh Mullick Square to Mahajati Sadan in central Kolkata.
Carrying posters and placards against BJP-led government at the Centre, Congress and LF activists shouted slogans against bringing in the ‘divisive’ Citizenship Amendment Act.
Bose rejected West Bengal’s ruling TMC’s proposal to jointly fight against the BJP on the issue of CAA and NRC.
“We won’t jointly protest with the TMC until they stop pursuing competitive communal politics with the BJP in Bengal. It is due to communal politics of TMC, that the BJP has gained ground in Bengal. The TMC should first stop playing such communal politics,” the Left Front chairman said.
“Our message is very clear that only the Congress and Left Front can fight against BJP. Only we can put up a mass movement against the communal BJP government,” Mitra said.
Hitting out at the BJP, Mitra said, the CAA and NRC can never take place.
“The BJP won’t be successful in dividing Hindus and Muslims. We won’t let the CAA to be implemented in the country,” he said.
The issue of CAA has been a major flashpoint in Bengal politics with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declaring that it will not be implemented in the state.
The state had witnessed violent protests and arson against the CAA and the proposed nationwide implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) earlier this month.
