The district CPM has launched a campaign drawing a parallel between the coronavirus and the Centre’s new citizenship matrix.

On Thursday, the party put up handbills across Malda town juxtaposing coronavirus dos and don’ts with a message against the National Register of Citizens, Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Population Register.

Instead of banking on cadres, CPM leaders themselves hit the streets to paste the handbills at prominent places in the town. Among the leaders were district CPM secretary Ambar Mitra, state committee member Jamil Firdous, district leader Koushik Mishra and former MLA Biswanath Ghosh.

“Whenever an emergency crops up, CPM workers always come out to help people and spread awareness. We were at the forefront when the BJP government at the Centre took anti-people policies like the CAA and the NPR and also articulated plans to roll out the NRC in Bengal. Covid-19 is a new threat for the world, but the NRC, CAA and the NPR are equally deadly for the common people. That is why the decision has been taken to educate people on the coronavirus as well as on these (citizenship) issues,” Mitra said.

The CPM, insiders said, has also planned to hold street-corner meetings at different places on the coronavirus.

“The district administration has made it clear that there should not be any large gatherings. That is why our leaders will go to different areas with hand-held megaphones and ask people to maintain health and hygiene to prevent a spread of Covid-19. At the same time, we will raise the demand of cancelling the NRC, CAA and the NPR,” Firdous said.

The CPM leaders also demanded that masks and sanitisers be made available across the district.

Malda Trinamul leaders have sent an advisory to party workers asking them not to gather in large numbers at Malda Town station to welcome Mausam Benazir Noor, who has been elected uncontested to the Rajya Sabha.

Noor is scheduled to arrive in Malda town on Friday.

“Only 20 leaders will go to the station to receive her. We have made it clear that there should be no gatherings, keeping in mind the situation,” said Hemanta Sharma, a senior district Trinamul leader.