Kolkata, Sep. 10 (IANS): Attacking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for opposing National Register of Citizens (NRC) and denying people the fruits of central government schemes, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday asserted the Narendra Modi regime was committed to safeguarding the rights of every genuine citizen.
While infiltrators would face the law, no genuine Indian citizen would suffer following the NRC in Assam, Irani said.
“No Indian will be left out, it is our commitment, and we are dedicated towards protecting the rights of all citizens of the country,” Irani told a media meet here on the occasion of the Modi government completing 100 days in its second term.
“At the same time, the illegal infiltrators will be dealt with as per law,” she said.
The minister said Banerjee’s stand on the NRC betrays her dichotomy on the issue of infiltrators.
“The Trinamool’s stand betrays its dichotomy as during her days in the Congress, Banerjee had organised a rally with the slogan ‘no identity card no vote’ in 1993 that led to the death of 13 Congress activists.”
“While she is opposing the NRC now, in August 2005, she had thrown papers in the Lok Sabha after she was not allowed to speak against inclusion of illegal immigrants in the Bengal voter list,” Irani said.
Asked about Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress organising street protests on the issue of NRC, Irani pointed out that Union Home minister Amit Shah has already declared on the floor of Parliament and all public fora that no genuine citizen would be left out.
Criticising Banerjee for opposing all policies of the Modi government, she said her “belligerent stand” has led to people of Bengal being denied benefits of central schemes.
Referring to Banerjee writing to Modi opposing bank merger, Irani said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has categorically said the merger would not take away a single job.
