Protests against Citizenship Amendment Act continue across West Bengal

Kolkata 

Protests against Citizenship Amendment BILL CAA AND NRC

Protests were held across

West Bengal

on Thursday, even as political fracas over the Citizenship A

mendment

Act (CAA) reached a new high with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee daring the Modi government to go for a UN-monitored referendum on the contentious issue.

No major incidents o f vandalism and arson were reported from the districts with police continuing raids and arrests in cases related to violence that rocked the state during protests over the Citizenship A

mendment

Act (CAA).

Incidents of road and rail blockades, which plagued the state's transport system over the past few days, were not reported with train services partially resuming in some sectors.

Banerjee, who has been at the forefront of protests against the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the new citizenship law, said the agitation must continue till the Act is revoked by the central government.

"Just because the BJP has got the majority doesn't mean that they can do whatever they want. If the BJP has guts, it should go for a United Nations-monitored referendum on the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC. Let there be an impartial organisation like the UN or the Human Rights Commission conduct it," she told a rally at Rani Rashmoni Avenue here.

"If the BJP looses this mass vote, then it should step down from the government," Banerjee said.

Hitting back, Union minister Babul Supriyo asked whether the chief minister realizes what she said.

"She should stop making herself a laughing stock. I think her advisers have stopped giving her good advices," he said.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar appealed to Banerjee to withdraw her statement.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front also took out a rally in the city, joining the country-wide protests.

Eminent personalities like Aparna Sen and Kaushik Sen along with students, social activists and people from different walks of life also hit the streets in protest against the law.

The BJP took out rallies in various parts of the state in support of the law, most of which were led by senior leaders of the party.

State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh led a massive rally in Midnapore and termed the violent protests against the Act "sedition", which he said were perpetuated by "lungi-clad infiltrators" from Bangladesh.

Several demonstrations and sit-ins were also held in the districts against the law.

To clear extra rush of passengers, South Eastern Railway said it has decided to run nine pairs of Weekly Suvidha Special trains on the Santragachi-Coimbatore- Santragachi route.

Though several trains were cancelled in the Eastern Railway zone, services from Kolkata to north Bengal and Assam partially resumed.

Police said they have arrested two persons in connection with the attack on a group of people protesting against the amended Citizenship Act in North Dinajpur district on Wednesday. Over 350 people have been arrested in total across the state in connection with the violence.

West Bengal has been witness to violent protests against the citizenship law since December 13. Several railway stations were ransacked android vehicles and trains vandalised over the past few days.

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