City
Epaper

Douse flames, don't set country afire: Mamata tells Shah

By IANS | Updated: December 18, 2019 18:15 IST

Assailing Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his comment that Aadhaar was not a proof of citizenship, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked him why was it then linked to bank accounts, voter IDs and mobile phones and said it was his duty to "douse flames" rather than "set the country afire."

Open in App

"I will appeal to the home minster, please consider. You are the country's home minster, not a BJP leader. It is not your job to set the country afire. It is your job to douse flames in the country. I appeal to you with folded hands," the Trinamool Congress chief said at a meeting opposing the new citizenship law.

Banerjee said when Assam, Tripura, Delhi, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan are burning, "Why are you saying hogaya hogaya (CAB and NRC will be executed)."

"Why is the home minister of the country openly saying Aadhaar card will not do? Then why did you make the Aadhaar cards, spent Rs 6,000 crore on it? Is the cat out of the bag now? I want clarification from you. As a citizen of the country it is my prerogative, right to ask you," she said at Dorina crossing in central Kolkata.

Banerjee asked Shah why Aadhaar was linked to mobiles, bank accounts and passports.

Refering to Shah's comment to a television channel that even PAN cards and voter IDs were not proof of citizenship.

"Then how did you become home minister? Your government, my government are all there because the voters gave us the mandate. Will only badges given by the BJP have to be taken as proper (citizenship) documents?" she asked after leading a huge march from Howrah Maidan.

Refering to Shah's earlier statement that nobody's citizenship will be snatched away, and CAA has no connection to Indian citizens, Banerjee said "Then why are you saying that Aadhaar, voter I-cards, PAN card, ration card won't do. Then is it the case that you think something and say something else?"

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: banerjeeshahbjpTrinamool Congressnrc
Open in App

Related Stories

MumbaiMumbai: Kishori Pednekar’s Manache Shlok Reciting in BMC Schools Proposal Faces Opposition from Vijay Ubale

NationalChandigarh BJP Office Blast: Two Suspects Arrested for Grenade Blast; Drone Used to Smuggle Chinese Hand Grenade From Pakistan

NationalChandigarh Blast: Police Detain Multiple Suspects After Explosion Near Bhartiya Janta Party Office

MumbaiKirit Somaiya Urges Mumbai Police to Stop Halting Hindu Festival Processions In Name of Namaz or Mosques

NationalTennis Legend Leander Paes Joins BJP Ahead of West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 (Watch Video)

National Realted Stories

NationalDelhi HC Court strikes down FSSAI regulation on cattle feed as ultra vires

NationalOver to voters as curtain falls on high decibel Kerala Assembly poll campaign

NationalV-P Radhakrishnan advocates ethical use of AI, modern tech

NationalMajor cyber fraud busted in Noida, four held for duping foreign nationals

NationalAkali leader raises concerns over growing debt crisis in Punjab