West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday declared that neither she nor anyone from her government will attend the meet on 17 January meant for discussion on NPR (National Population Register). The meeting is called by the Central Government to be attended by Chief Secretaries of all the states. Mamata Banerjee is also the first Chief Minister who announced that NPR will not be implemented by her state, followed by Communist led Government of Kerala.
Reportedly, she also dared the Governor of West Bengal Jagdish Dhankar to dismiss the state government for not following the Centre. Also cited him as a spokesperson of BJP. Mamata hit out at left and Congress for spreading false assertions about NPR being practiced in West Bengal. She affirmed that practice of NPR has been stopped in Bengal and not a single Act that will affect the citizen’s integrity will be implemented in West Bengal.
Banerjee had met PM Modi last week who was visiting the state and had asked him to rethink about implementation of CAA and NRC. However, during her meeting with the PM at Raj Bhavan, Banerjee wore a black badge to protest against the CAA and NRC.
Earlier this week, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi had also called for an opposition meeting on 13 January against CAA, NRC that was also boycotted by Mamata Banerjee, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Aam Aadmi Party. Mamata accused congress of indulging in violence and vandalism during Bandh in Bengal and called it as ”Goondagardi” and ”cheap politics”.