Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, campaigning in Kolkata, vowed to implement CAA, assuring safety to Bangladeshi Hindus. He slammed TMC, denied Bengali Hindus are in Assam's detention camps, and expressed confidence in a BJP victory.
Sarma Vows CAA Implementation, Slams TMC Leaders
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the BJP will extensively implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and assured Bangladeshi Hindus of safety.
Speaking to ANI in Kolkata, CM Sarma said, "Expatriate Bengalis have come; it's a good thing. But Bangladeshi Muslims voted out of fear. Not a single Bangladeshi Hindu is scared under the BJP government. There's no reason to be afraid. If Hindus are not safe in India, then where will they be?"
Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "egg and fish" remark against the BJP, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Come eat along with me. I will eat one kilogram more than them."
"Abhishek ji (TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee) does not need to challenge Amit Shah ji. The result will come on May 4, and Abhishek will flee to Dubai," he added, expressing confidence in the BJP's victory in the West Bengal elections.
Himanta Biswa Sarma held a roadshow in Behala Purba constituency for BJP candidate Sankar Sikder, who is pitted against TMC's Subhasish Chakraborty. The seat has been held by the TMC for the last three elections. In the 2021 polls, Ratna Chatterjee defeated BJP's Payel Sarkar by 37,428 (17.1 per cent) votes.
'Not a Single Bengali Hindu in Assam Detention Camps'
Earlier today, Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed a press conference in Kolkata and, attacking the TMC, said that not a single Bengali Hindu is in detention camps in Assam.
"TMC members sometimes say that many Bengali Hindus are in detention camps in Assam. As the Chief Minister of Assam, I want to say unequivocally that there is not a single Bengali Hindu in detention camps in Assam. If there is even a single Bengali Hindu, I am ready to resign today," the Assam CM said.
"The Supreme Court has granted Assam a significant power: the Illegal Immigrant Expulsion Act, 1948. It states that if a Deputy Commissioner thinks anyone is an infiltrator, they can expel them within 48 hours from the soil of India. I believe the Illegal Immigration Act, enacted by Congress, should be extended to all five states. Hindus are protected under the CAA," he said.
Warns of 'Demographic Change' and 'Sharia Law'
Invoking the BJP's poll plank of illegal immigration and demographic change in West Bengal, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Bangladeshi infiltration will come from here. It will change the demography of West Bengal. It will change the demography of the entire country. Every Indian has a stake in the West Bengal elections because the impact will be felt by everyone in India, primarily in Bengal and Assam, and subsequently in every part of our country. When the number increases above 50 per cent, the demand for Sharia law will also start. Secularism is safe as long as the demography is maintained. Mamata ji says that the BJP is coming and doing communalism. BJP is not demanding the rule of Geeta in any state of India. But wherever demographic changes occur above 50 per cent, demands for Sharia law rule also arise."
The BJP has raised the issue of illegal immigration ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah promising to stop the influx. The BJP has rallied around targeting the TMC and accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led party of allowing illegal immigration.
The polling for Phase I of the Assembly elections concluded on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a significantly higher voter turnout of 92.88 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India. The high turnout figures underline an active electoral exercise as polling drew to a close amid tight security arrangements across 152 constituencies.
The polling for the second phase will be held on April 29, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)