NRC will not be just for Bengal but for the whole country: Amit Shah in Kolkata
Story highlights
He also reiterated the party's stance on the Citizenship Amendment Bill and said, 'The refugees who have come from Bangladesh, be it Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, or Christians, BJP has clearly signalled in its 'Sankalp Patra' that we will give them citizenship'.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to be held in West Bengal, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday assured the people of the state that his party will help in restoring Saraswati puja and Durga puja again with respect.
Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata Shah said, "If someone can restore Saraswati pooja and Durga pooja again with respect, it is only the BJP".
On being asked if Prime Minister Modi will also contest from West Bengal, Shah said, "No, there is no such plan at the moment".
He also reiterated the party's stance on the Citizenship Amendment Bill and said, "The refugees who have come from Bangladesh, be it Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, or Christians, BJP has clearly signalled in its 'Sankalp Patra' that we will give them citizenship".
Adding that the National Register of Citizens will not be just for Bengal but also for the whole country, Shah said, "Citizenship Amendment Bill will come first, all refugees will be given citizenship after that NRC will be made. Refugees shouldn't worry, only infiltrators should. First, the Citizenship Amendment Bill will come then NRC, NRC will not be for just Bengal but for the whole country".
"I request the people of Bengal to vote without fear; BJP workers are guarding them as protectors of democracy in the Lok Sabha Polls," he said.
Hitting out at West Bengal chief minister, Shah said, "Mamata Banerjee is under pressure after the end of second phase polls. There is politics of appeasement in Bengal."
"Mamata Banerjee did not allow my rallies in Bengal, now the people here are not coming out in to attend her rallies," he added.
Commenting on BJP candidate from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, he said, "As far as Sadhvi Pragya is considered, I want to say that a false case was registered as to allege that there is Hindu terror. The court proceedings found the case to be false."
Praising the Prime Minister led-NDA government Shah said, "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at Centre, we have provided 10,000 poor with household in this district. Also, 3,000 urban poor got households. BJP gave gas connections to 7 crore houses, 8 crore houses got toilets and 50 crore poor will get Rs 5 lakh Insurance under Ayushman Bharat scheme."
Amit Shah in Kolkata, West Bengal: Batla House ka jab encounter hua, Sonia Ji ko rona aa gaya Batla House ke aatankwadiyon ke marne par, jabki apna ek bahadur Police Inspector waha shaheed ho gaya, uske mrityu par rona nahi aaya, is par Congress ko jawab dena chahiye pic.twitter.com/fFMtLXeJqS
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2019
To a question on alleged discrepancies over citizenship and educational qualifications in Congress president Rahul Gandhi's poll affidavit filed at Amethi, Shah said the returning officer concerned should look into it.
(With inputs from agencies)