Mamata Banerjee will kip her Delhi visit
Credit: PTI Photo
West Bengal Chief Minister, on Monday, said that she will not be attending the “One Nation, One Election” committee meeting, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Instead, two Trinamool MPs – Sudip Bandyopadhyay, and Kalyan Banerjee will make the representation.
The chief minister said that she has spoken to former President Ramnath Kovind, who is heading the committee.
Meanwhile, senior Trinamool leaders, criticised Shantanu Thakur, BJP’s MP from West Bengal, and a Central Minister of State.
Thakur – who had earlier stated that CAA – the citizenship legislation would be implemented in a week’s time, has now acknowledged the claim to be “a slip of tongue”. The leader has clarified that he had actually wanted to say that the rules-procedures were about to get completed, and the CAA will be implemented in a few months. He spoke the other way, instead.
Chandrima Bhattacharya, senior Trinamool leader and a minister in the state government, wrote on X that within mere six days, the minister “conveniently backtracks on his bold promise to implement CAA in a week”. Bhattacharya alleged the development to be “typical of BJP tactics” – making promises before the elections, and then to “backtrack”, she added.
Shashi Panja, also a minister and a senior Trinamool leader stated: “From a prolonged delay to a sudden commitment and a subsequent backtrack – BJP leaders have mastered the art of flip-flops!”
In late January, Thakur had mentioned that the citizenship legislation will be implemented across India, in seven days’ time. His statement had drawn wide attention in regional politics.
Thakur’s statement was followed by comments from BJP-Bengal leader Suvendu Adhikari, who had observed that the legislation could get implemented towards February-end. Adhikari had observed that the Centre may provide an opportunity for direct enlistment.
Mamata, in her political speeches, has maintained a strong stand against the legislation.