Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said if the CAA was aimed at providing citizenship and not snatching it away, the Centre should issue the necessary certificate to the applicants within seven days of application.

He alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre would never do so and continue to deceive with fake assurances.

Speaking at a public meeting in Duttapulia, a strong Matua domain near Ranaghat in Nadia, the Trinamool Congress national general secretary alleged that the Centre's announcement about the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act just before the Lok Sabha election was politically motivated.

"It took five years to frame the CAA rules, misleading the people, and now they are still cheating people with the online application form, which, if submitted, would rob one of their rights, and of all the benefits provided by the state government," said Abhishek in the meeting organised by the party to garner support for its Ranaghat candidate Mukutmani Adhikari.

"You voted for the BJP over its citizenship promise, which was a jumla. It took five years to frame the rules... (and they announced its implementation) just before the Lok Sabha polls and that too with a 40-page application form. Why people like you who elect the Prime Minister and the chief minister should need to appeal for citizenship? How many of the BJP leaders have appealed for citizenship?" asked the Diamond Harbour MP.

In 2019, Trinamool lost the Ranaghat seat to the BJP. The strong Matua domain had leaned towards the saffron party largely because of its citizenship promise.

The Matuas form around 40 per cent of the electorate in its seven Assembly segments where the Trinamool trailed apparently because of the shifting of Matua support towards the BJP. The result in the 2021 Assembly elections was a virtual repeat.

Terming the citizenship assurances of the BJP and the Centre “false”, Abhishek said he would support the amended citizenship law if the Centre notified that there would be no NRC (National Register of Citizens).

Asserting that the CAA is essentially a precursor to the controversial NRC, Abhishek said: “Names of 19 lakh people were deleted through NRC exercise in Assam, of which around 12 lakh are Hindu Bengalis. The person who led this exercise was made the chief minister of the Assam.”

Assuring that Trinamool would not allow the NRC, Abhishek urged the people not to worry. “As long as Trinamool Congress is there in Bengal, rest assured that nobody will be able to cause any harm to you.... You have equal rights with all other citizens of the country,” he said.

Countering Abhishek’s allegations, BJP candidate and outgoing MP Jagannath Sarkar said: “People would give a fitting reply to Trinamool and Abhishek for his abusive language.”

“Matuas know well that the citizenship promise was never fake, and it will be proven again in the future,” he claimed.

Purnima Dutta, a Nadia Zilla Parishad member of the BJP, joined Trinamool on Sunday in Abhishek’s presence. She took the ruling party’s flag from Abhishek amid loud cheers.