Kolkata:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said the Congress and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee do not have the guts to touch the Citizenship Amendment Act, as he assured that all Hindu refugees will get citizenship under the new law.

Mr Shah was addressing a rally at Karandighi in Bengal’s North Dinajpur district to drum up support for Kartik Paul, the BJP candidate from Raiganj. Raiganj seat was won by BJP in 2019. Trinamool has fielded MLA Krishna Kalyani from North Bengal seat. Voting will be held in the second phase in Raiganj on Friday.

Mr Shah said that the Chief Minister of Bengal cannot stop infiltration in the border state. “Can Mamata Banerjee stop infiltration? She can’t. Only (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji can stop infiltration.”

He said, “Last time you gave us 18 seats. Modiji gave Ram Mandir. This time give us 35 seats, we will stop infiltration.”

The Home Minister also mentioned the Sandeshkhali controversy, which has emerged as a big talking point in Bengal this election season. Mr Shah said, “In Sandeshkhali, Mamata Banerjee allowed atrocities on women so that her vote bank was not affected. The High Court intervened and today the accused are in jail.” This island in Bengal’s North 24 Parganas came into national headlines when local Trinamool leaders were accused of land grabbing, extortion and sexual harassment.

Mr Shah also cited the Calcutta High Court order canceling around 25,000 appointments of government school employees due to alleged irregularities. “Rs 10 lakh to 15 lakh were paid for each job. Rs 51 crore was recovered from the house of (former Bengal minister) Partha Chatterjee.”

Mr Shah said, “Mamata Banerjee came to power on the slogan of Maa, Mati, Manush. Maa was tortured in Sandeshkhali, Mati was given to Bangladeshi infiltrators and Manush is suffering due to corruption.” He said, “Vote for BJP and Mamata Banerjee’s goons, it will be hung upside down and made straight.”

Accusing the ruling Trinamool of corruption, Mr Shah said, “Look at the houses of TMC leaders. People who used to live in thatched roof houses, today own four-storey houses, move around in cars. This is your money. Is.”

He also promised that the Center will set up an AIIMS in North Bengal if the Narendra Modi-led BJP returns to power. “We had planned an AIIMS in Raiganj. Mamata didi stopped it. This is Modiji’s guarantee. Give us 30 seats, we will start work on North Bengal’s first AIIMS.”

At back-to-back rallies in Raiganj and Kumarganj yesterday, Ms Banerjee had claimed that the BJP was in a state of panic after realizing the defeat in the first phase of voting.

“Fear and panic have gripped the BJP. After the first phase of voting on almost 100 seats across the country, they have realized defeat. That is why they are making baseless statements. It is only time for the saffron camp to be wiped out. A matter of.” ” he said. On Sandeshkhali, he said, “This is a ploy to defame us before the elections.”

She also said that she will not allow the citizenship law to be implemented. He said, “CAA is a trap to turn legitimate citizens into foreigners. Once you implement CAA, NRC will follow. We will allow neither CAA nor NRC in West Bengal. If you apply, Then you will be designated as a foreigner.”