Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday cast herself as people’s paharadar (guard), pledged not to allow anybody to harm the interests of those in Bengal and said she would fight till the end against the BJP’s new citizenship regimen.
Addressing a Bengal government event at Patharpratima in South 24-Parganas, the chief minister said she would do everything in her power to protect the people of the state from the Narendra Modi-led Centre’s citizenship thrusts.
“We do not live at the mercy of anyone…. I will not allow anyone to snatch our rights. We will never beg, we will never borrow, we will not be the subject of pity. We vote, we administer, we elect, we farm, we play…. We will never give anyone the right to determine our statehood,” Mamata said.
“I am your paharadar, if anyone comes to take away your rights, they will have to do it over my dead body,” she added to loud cheers. Paharadar appeared to be a reference to Modi’s pre-Lok Sabha election campaign theme of chowkidar (watchman).
The Trinamul chief said her government had already paused all activities pertaining to the National Population Register, being deemed as a precursor to a National Register of Citizens across India
Mamata sought to dispel fears over the Centre’s purported plans to conduct the citizenship processes online — thereby bypassing the state machinery, after numerous states opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act — and alleged it was yet another lie being peddled by the BJP and its government.
“In some places they are now saying it will all be done online. Can rice be cooked online?” she asked, to uproarious laughter from the audience of thousands.
“One can apply online, but in matters such as this, there is a need for physical existence and its verification also…. Don’t worry,” Mamata added.
She said that while participation in the process of rectification and update of the electoral roll was a must, the people must not get confused and become part of other processes.
“I will tell you one thing. The voters’ list is being prepared. Please ensure that all your details are entered correctly. For instance, your name could be entered correctly, but your father’s might not. Maybe your first name is right, but not your last name,” Mamata said.
“But if anyone, especially people from outside, come and ask for your names, the names and other details of your ancestors — such as where they were born — do not cooperate…. We will not allow people to hatch sinister conspiracies in our state,” the chief minister said, going on to allege that the BJP was trying to undertake a massive campaign to mislead and misinform people.
Accusing the BJP of coming up with new lies daily and senior leaders right up to home minister Amit Shah and Modi contradicting each other regularly in public, Mamata said it was all part of a ploy to confuse. “Do they really believe that they will snatch basic rights such as citizenship from under our noses and we will sit quietly, sucking on the lollipops of deliberate distraction they throw our way? Is that what they really believe? Well, it simply won’t happen,” she said.
