india

Updated: Jan 18, 2020 04:30 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh on Friday said that the Aadhar card and Voter Id were not proof of citizenship.

“If you apply for a passport they (the authorities) will ask for originals. If you cannot produce one it means you are not a citizen,” said Ghosh at the rally. Ghosh did not explain what he meant by “original” but it was apparent that he was talking about proof of citizenship.

“Every person who has come from Bangladesh will have to apply for citizenship, fill up forms. Didimoni (West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee) is telling you not to fill up forms. Beware. Do not fall into this trap. Ask businessmen who did not apply for Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration. Later, they all had to pay fines. She (Banerjee) is trying to fool you,” Ghosh said.

“We know where our parents come from and where they were born. Those who do not know where their parents come from need to worry,” he added. He urged refugees to get their citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 or CAA.

Taking a dig at anti-CAA rallies in the city and across the country, he said, “The intellectuals never hit the streets when Hindus had to flee to India from neighbouring countries.”

The state BJP president said the CAA has been brought in to give citizenship to refugees and not snatch it from citizens.

“The opposition is trying to mislead the masses. The prime minister will give three to four months to apply for citizenship. You all should apply for citizenship. You do not need documents to prove anything, just fill up the forms with the name of your parents and you will get the citizenship,” he said.

The amended citizenship law has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the state, with the TMC opposing the legislation tooth and nail and the BJP pressing for its implementation.

“If Dilip Ghosh and his party decide that Aadhar card, PAN card and voter’s identity cards are not proof of citizenship and those having these are not citizens then the people of Bengal and the nation will not accept it. The language he used at the rally is deplorable. Only an illiterate can speak like that,” said Tapas Roy, TMC leader and junior parliamentary affairs minister.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator Sujan Chakraborty said, “This is an attack on poor people because the rich can always spend money to get documents made for citizenship.”

(With inputs from agencies).