Citizenship Act is law of land, those on government posts bound by it: West Bengal Governor

In an apparent attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar on Wednesday said the Citizenship Amendment Act is the law of the land and those who are on constitutional and government posts are bound by it.

"I don't care about (what) political parties do. They are free to say whatever they want. According to the Constitution, the state government is bound to follow the law. And those who are on government posts are fully bound by the law of the land. The Chief Minister took the oath to act according to the Constitution, and this law is part of the Constitution," Dhankar said at a press conference.

Banerjee, who has been at the loggerheads with Dhankar, is opposed to the Citizenship Amendment Act and has said that she will not allow the legislation to be implemented in West Bengal.

Dhankar said that the amended Citizenship Act is not against any citizen of India.

"The Citizenship Amendment Act is not against any citizen of India and it does not deprive any citizen of this country in any manner whatsoever. If any impression is being given that it affects the citizen of the country, it is erroneous and misinterpretation," he said.

"It is giving a healing touch to those who have no other place to go and India is their natural home. Citizenship Act doesn't affect the interest of any Indian citizen," Dhankar said.

The Governor expressed hope that the Chief Minister will enter into a dialogue with him.

"I have no doubt that the Honourable Chief Minister would also enter into a dialogue with me. That dialogue will be beneficial for both of us and it will be in the interest of West Bengal. And it will serve a large constitutional purpose," he said.

The Citizenship Amendment Act seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and came to India on or before December 31, 2014.