Kaliaganj (West Bengal), March 3 Asserting that she won't allow her state to turn into Delhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said all those who came to India from Bangladesh and voted in Indian elections were citizens of the country, and don't need to apply afresh for citizenship.
Addressing a rally in this North Dinajpur district town of northern West Bengal, Banerjee said she won't allow "a single person" to be driven out from her state.
"Those people who have come to India from Bangladesh are all Indian citizens, they have citizenship. They have been voting in one election after another... electing Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers.
"Now, they (BJP and Sangh Parivar) are saying you are not Indian citizens. Don't believe them. There is no need for you to apply for citizenship again," she said.
"Mamata Banerjee will not allow even one person to be driven out of Bengal. None of the refugees living in the state will lose their citizenship," she added.
Coming down heavily on the Narendra Modi government for its handling of the violence in Delhi, that had left at least 46 people dead and over 200 injured, she said: "I will never allow any repetition of th Delhi happenings in Bengal. One should not forget this is not Delhi, but Bengal.
"We won't let Bengal become another Delhi or Uttar Pradesh," she said.
Participating in a political programme on Monday in Kolkata, Banerjee had described he Delhi violence as "a planned genocide that was later portrayed as communal riot" and blamed the BJP for the violence.
She had also said none of those who raised "goli maaro" slogans in Kolkata on way to attending Union Home Minister Amit Shah's rally on Sunday would be spared. The city police has already arrested four persons for raising the incendiary slogan.
( With inputs from IANS )