Bhupesh Baghel slams BJP on its stand over CAA in Assam and West Bengal

GUWAHATI: While slamming the BJP government for its stance on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday alleged that the saffron party has been completely silent on the issue of CAA in Assam but vocal in West Bengal.

He asserted that the BJP leaders including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have been silent on the issue of CAA. "The prime minister (Narendra Modi) and home minister (Amit Shah) also avoid the issue during their campaigns," he added.

On the contrary, "In West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that a decision on CAA implementation will be taken during the first cabinet meeting if the BJP forms government there," said Bhagel.

Reaffirming that Congress will not allow the CAA to be implemented in Assam, Bhagel demanded a clear stand of the BJP government on the act.

Recently in the manifesto released by the BJP here in Assam the contentious CAA, which rocked the state in 2019 finds no mention. However, the party promised to bring in a corrected National Register of Citizens NRC, to secure and protect Assam.

The final NRC which was published in August 2019, excluded a total of 19 lakh people from the list. However, the Sonowal led BJP government alleged that the NRC is flawed and hence not acceptable. The party further demanded the re-verification of the NRC data. As of now, the list remains hanged, with those excluded not yet issued rejection orders with which they can appeal at the state's Foreigners' Tribunals (FTs).

While the party shied away from mentioning about CAA during their campaigning in the state, eventually the state leaders including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, State BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass and National BJP President JP Nadda stated that CAA being a central act will be implemented in the state.

"CAA has been passed by Parliament. It is to be implemented and it will be implemented in letter and spirit,' said Nadda.

On the contrary, the BJP has promised to clear the implementation of CAA in the first cabinet meeting of the new government. While releasing the West Bengal manifesto, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that "We have decided that we will implement the CAA in the first Cabinet meeting itself."

The BJP has been walking on a tightrope in regard to the contentious CAA, while Assam has opposed the Act, a section of people from West Bengal is in support of it.

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