A Union minister of the BJP faced protests in her constituency in North Dinajpur when she went there on Wednesday as part of the party’s door-to-door campaign in favour of the amended citizenship act, with hundreds of residents surrounding her car, accusing her party of creating panic and forcing her to beat a hasty retreat.
Debasree Chaudhuri, the Union junior for women and child development and Raiganj MP, had reached Indira Colony here and started speaking to people, as BJP workers distributed leaflets on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Residents then asked her probing questions about the CAA.
They wanted to know what Chaudhuri had done for the constituency, which elected her last year by a margin of over 60,000 votes. They also asked Chaudhuri why the BJP-led Centre was creating panic over people’s citizenship.
The first-time parliamentarian went back to her car, which was guarded by 40-odd BJP supporters and two security personnel.
“There was a barrage of questions for her, mostly from women, and she didn’t know what to do. She got back into her car,” said a BJP supporter who was with the minister.
The crowd in front of the vehicle swelled to over 250 and the people started demanding answers from Chaudhuri, who looked flustered.
“Before the elections, you had promised that new trains would be introduced from Raiganj to Calcutta. Nothing has been done so far. Why?” asked a middle-aged woman.
“All of us are in panic over this new citizenship act and the NRC. Do you know that people are standing in queues in front of banks and post-offices since midnight to get their Aadhaar cards rectified?” another woman asked.
As Chaudhuri tried to mumble something, yet another woman got close to her and asked: “Why are you talking about the CAA instead of what you have done for us?”
“Go-back” slogans were shouted and after around 20 minutes, Chaudhuri drove away.
Raiganj is the headquarters of North Dinajpur district.
The minister cancelled the next leg of her campaign and left for Bagdogra from where she took a flight to Delhi in the afternoon.
“That programme (in the town, after the Indira Colony campaign) has been cancelled. We have also cancelled another programme that was planned in Islampur town,” a source said.
Choudhury accused Trinamul of orchestrating the protests. “Trinamul has done it in a planned manner as they want to create confusion on the CAA. We had started the campaign on the right note and people were responding and listening to us. Then Trinamul supporters foiled the campaign. But they cannot stop us,” she said.
“As far as the demand for a new train to Calcutta is concerned, we hope the announcement will be made in the next budget,” she added.
District Trinamul leaders denied the allegations.
“She has been elected as the MP by residents of North Dinajpur but she is hardly seen in her constituency. So far, we have never seen the MP working for the region or taking up issues with the Centre. Now, she is talking in favour of the CAA, which people don’t want. That is why she had to face protests. Our party has nothing to do with it,” said Kanaialal Agarwala, the Trinamul chief of North Dinajpur.
