Amit Shah on Saturday lambasted critics of NRC in Assam and said the BJP government in Assam and the Centre would not bow down to any pressure on citizen registry.
Holding a big rally in Kolkata, Shah said, "Don't you feel that the people who were religiously persecuted in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries should be given the status of the refugee? I would like to know from the Congress and Mamata Banerjee if what would their stand in Parliament be. We will bring the bills soon in the House. Those parties should make their stand clear so that people understand."
Shah came down heavily on Mamata Banerjee at her turf in Kolkata.
"When the NRC matter was being discussed in Parliament, she went to Delhi to protest against it. She called it a step towards civil war. She called it an anti-Bengali attitude of the BJP. It was highly deplorable," said Shah.
The BJP president then said, "We are not anti-Bengali because our party was born here. But we are anti-intruders. We know how to differentiate between infiltrators and refugees. I can assure you that none of the refugees living in Bengal who had to leave Bangladesh and had to settle here will be uprooted."
Shah stressed that NRC in Assam would be completed peacefully without any hindrance. He was, however, tight-lipped whether the people who would be left out in the final list in the year-end would be pushed back or not.
Shah said those opposing NRC should understand that registry was a fallout of the Assam accord. "It was as per the Supreme Court order. Our government detected infiltrators one by one. We are committed to do that and complete that without any mistakes in the coming days."
Shah did not say if similar attempts would be carried out in Bengal. He also did not touch upon the topic of infiltration in Bengal. However, Shah hinted that elections in 2019 would be fought on the issue of NRC in Bengal.
"Look at Mamata di. She threw papers at the Speaker in 2005, protesting against infiltrators in Bengal. Today, the same infiltrators are her vote bank. I just want to know from the people if this land should be a place for infiltrators or not," Shah threw questions at the audience.
He said people called Assam NRC a violation of human rights. But Shah asked if snatching jobs and rights of valid citizens to feed infiltrators was violation of human rights or not. Shah criticised Mamata for doing appeasement politics and bringing Rohingyas to Bengal.
Shah warned Mamata for banning Durga Puja immersion on the day of Muharam. He also warned Mamata not to ban Saraswati Puja in schools. "When our government would come to Bengal we will ensure both Durga puja and Saraswati puja are held in Bengal. And before that, Mamata di, now, if you try to do what you did again, then our workers would hit the walls of your secretariat."
Shah was at his aggressive best but he did not hold any meeting with BJP workers on Saturday apart from holding a short meeting with West Bengal President Dilip Ghosh and prabhari Kailash Vijay Bhargava.
Sources have confirmed that he asked Ghosh and Bhargava to outline his visits to various districts in the coming months.