On Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to the voice of the people and revoke the amended Citizenship Act and drop the plans for implementing the NRC across the nation in the interests of the country. "Had Atalji (Atal Bihar Vajpayee) been alive, he would have asked the BJP to follow Raj Dharma. But those who are in power now (at the Centre) don't follow it," Banerjee said at a protest meeting in the minority dominated Park Circus area of the city.

"Whenever anyone raises a voice, the person is called anti-national. The country became independent in 1947. Their party was formed in the 1980s. They did not participate in the freedom struggle. Who are you to decide who is a citizen and who is not?" Banerjee said. Condemning the police firing on protesters in various parts of the country, the chief minister wondered if it is a sign of healthy democracy where police is shooting protesters.

"We must protest democratically. Public life must not be hampered," she said. The CM claimed that the BJP deliberately passed the citizenship bill to deflect attention from the poor economic condition of the country and price rise of essentials. "If you don't take back the black law, if you don't reconsider the decision about (implementing nation-wide) NRC, you will have to go. Don't ignore people's voice," she said. "The BJP is imposing one political agenda after another under the impression that Indians are peace-loving people... under the impression that only it will remain in power," Banerjee said.

(Inputs from Agencies)