New Delhi: Barely minutes after the Centre implemented the much-awaited and "contentious" Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) across the country, Congress was swift to juxtapose the announcement with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to the social media platform and dubbed the notification as the Bhartiya Janata Party's latest move to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam.
In a lengthy post, the senior Congress leader said that the saffron party took more than four years to notify the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act even though it was passed by the Parliament in December 2019. "The Prime Minister claims that his Government works in a business-like and time-bound manner. The time taken to notify the rules for the CAA is yet another demonstration of the Prime Minister’s blatant lies," said Ramesh. It is worth mentioning the CAA law, which was passed in December 2019, has a provision for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. However, the law could not be implemented at that time amid a widespread protest from minority communities.
"After seeking nine extensions for the notification of the rules, the timing right before the elections is evidently designed to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam," he added.
"Headline management"
Further, the stalwart Congress leader claimed the latest move by the Centre was an attempt to manage the headlines after the Supreme Court’s severe strictures on the Electoral Bonds Scandal. Notably, earlier today, the apex court dismissed the State Bank of India's plea seeking an extension of time and directed it to furnish the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission by close of business hours on March 12. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud also directed the EC to publish the details shared by the bank on its official website by 5 pm on March 15.
Mamata Banerjee also echoes Congress' line
Meanwhile, the notification was taken similarly by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The TMC leader said she would oppose the CAA if it discriminates against groups of people.
Stating that the CAA and the NRC are sensitive to West Bengal and the Northeast, Banerjee said she does not want unrest before the Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference at the state secretariat, Banerjee said, "There are speculations that CAA ruled will be notified. Let me be very clear that we will oppose anything that discriminates people." "Let them bring out the rules, then we will speak on the issue after going through the rules," she said.
