Shah credits Shyama Prasad for integrating Bengal with India

Union Home Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah said that it was because of Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mookerjee that West Bengal is a part of the Indian republic, while addressing a public gathering in the state capital on Tuesday (October 1).

Shah is in the city to inaugurate a community Durga Puja and will also hold a closed-door meeting with top party leaders in the state.

Speaking at an NRC seminar at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in the heart of the city, the BJP chief also highlighted a “special connection” between the state and Article 370.

“West Bengal and Article 370 have a special connection because it was the son of this soil, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee ji who raised the slogan ‘Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan aur Ek Pradhan’,” he said. “It is because of the sacrifices of BJP founder Shyama Prasad Mookerjee that West Bengal is part of India.”

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The BJP president also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for scrapping provisions of Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying it will facilitate a complete integration of the state into India, reported PTI.

He also launched an all-out attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the law and order situation in the state and blamed it for misleading the people over NRC.

“Didi (Mamata) says she will not let NRC happen in West Bengal. But I assure you that each and every infiltrator will be shown the door. When she (Mamata) was in opposition, she used to say that infiltrators must be forced to leave India,” he said.

He also reiterated that the Narendra Modi government will bring the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) before implementing NRC in the states. So far, Assam is the only state where NRC has been implemented so far.

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The BJP chief also assured that Hindu, Singh, Jain, Buddhist and Christian refugees will not be forced to leave the country and that the CAB will ensure that these people get Indian citizenship. However, he also asserted that all “infiltrators” will be thrown out of India.

Moreover, with the Assembly elections scheduled in 2021, Shah was confident that the BJP will come to power in the state with full majority. He also slammed the Chief Minister for not implementing the Centre’s flagship Ayushmaan Bharat scheme in the state.

Meanwhile, a former Trinamool Congress MLA and ex-mayor of Bidhannagar Muncipal Corporation Sabyasachi Dutta joined the saffron party in presence of the party chief.

(With inputs from agencies)