India's West Bengal chief minister takes out march against new citizenship law

Source: Xinhua| 2019-12-16 18:49:54|Editor: xuxin
Video PlayerClose

NEW DELHI, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chief Minister of India's eastern state of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee on Monday led a huge protest march demanding revocation of the country's new controversial citizenship law, officials said.

Banerjee marched through the heart of Kolkata along with her party leaders and supporters besides common people. She started from the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Red Road and ended it at Jorasanko Thakurbari.

The protesters carrying posters and flags were calling for the revocation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that was passed by the Indian parliament last week.

The new law triggered violent protests in West Bengal along with other parts of India. The protesters set ablaze railway property including some trains last week in the state. Authorities have suspended internet in six districts in wake of the violence.

"Our protest has to be non-violent," Banerjee said addressing the people. "Our opponents want violence to break out but we Hindus, Muslims and Christians are together."

Banerjee said she would not stop until the new law was revocated completely along with National Register of Citizens (NRC).

"We won't stop until CAB and NRC are withdrawn," Banerjee thundered to an applause from the protesters.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar described Banerjee's march as "unconstitutional" and had asked her not to take out the march.

"I am extremely anguished that CM (Chief Minister) and Ministers are to spearhead rally against CAA, law of the land. This is unconstitutional. I call upon CM to desist from this unconstitutional and inflammatory act at this juncture and devote to retrieve the grim situation," Dhankhar wrote on twitter ahead of the march.

However, Banerjee ignored the governor's remarks and went on as per her schedule.

Banerjee had urged people to participate in her protest. Banerjee has already stated she will not allow the implementation of new citizenship law in her state. The move has added one more point of conflict between the chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The new citizenship law aims at granting citizenship to illegal immigrants belonging to six religions -- Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Parsi and Christianity -- from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, it has kept out Muslim immigrants from applying for citizenship.

Opposition parties and civil society members in India criticize the bill as contrary to secular principles enshrined in India's constitution as it excludes Muslims.

With this new law, the government would grant Indian citizenship to those non-Muslim immigrants who had entered the country illegally until Dec. 31, 2014. People in the northeastern states fear granting of citizenship to immigrants would endanger their status.

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001386355571