Mamata Banerjee on Thursday dared the Narendra Modi government to face a referendum on the amended citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens exercise under the supervision of the United Nations.

The Trinamul Congress chief — on her fourth consecutive day of protests in Calcutta against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the NRC —indicated that her agitation would continue indefinitely.

“Today, right here, right now, I throw at you a challenge. If you truly have the courage…. Choley ashun, vote-ey choley ashun. Ekta vote, gawnovote (Come, come to a vote. One vote, a referendum),” she said at the rally against the CAA and the NRC on Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Calcutta.

The chief minister had to pause because of loud cheers from the audience of thousands.

“Yes, a referendum. Over this CAA-NRC issue, all over India…. Let there be a referendum,” she added, before another pause on account of the applause.

The chief minister said she didn’t want any party or other stakeholders in the country to have a role in the conduct of the plebiscite.

“No, you (the BJP) will not conduct it. The United Nations will. An impartial organisation…. Let them organise and conduct a referendum in India,” she said, to roaring applause.

“Let the UN play a very important role. The United Nations, its Human Rights Council, important experts… let a committee be formed comprising them. .. Trinamul need not be represented, nor the BJP… no political party. No community either: not Hindus, not Muslims, no Sikhs or Christians… no community needs to be represented.”

Mamata, who had been highlighting the BJP’s pan-India vote share of less than 38 per cent in the general election to assert that 62 per cent of Indians “voted against” the party, said: “We want to see, how many people are accepting it (CAA and NRC), and how many are not).”

“If the mandate of the referendum is not in your favour, say that you will be forced to resign,” she said, pausing yet again for the cheers to stop.

The chief minister also said: “We will not stop our protests…. People from all sections of the society will take it (agitation) forward.”

Mamata also condemned crackdowns on anti-CAA agitation in BJP-ruled states.

“The entire country burns and the BJP laughs, because they want India to burn…. They are dividing the country, that’s all they are capable of,” she said.