Sachindranath Singha, VHP organisational secretary (east zone), in Kolkata on Wednesday. (Express photo by Subham Dutta)
The VHP Wednesday announced that it would initiate a campaign calling for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be set up in West Bengal, just like the one in Assam. Leaders of the group said the problem of infiltration is much worse in Bengal, but further said that “Hindu refugees” should be granted citizenship.
“We demand that NRC should be implemented in West Bengal like in Assam. We will soon start a statewide campaign over this,” said Sachindranath Singha, VHP organisational secretary (east zone), at a press meet in Kolkata.
“Earlier, it was Mamata herself who had spoken in favour of NRC when she was in the Opposition, alleging that CPM government had been helping infiltrators in order to increase their votebank. Now, she has taken a U-turn and is doing the same, shedding crocodile tears for infiltrators,” said Singha.
“If NRC is done in Bengal, it will be seen that there are far more number of infiltrators living here,” Singha said.
Singha criticized Mamata’s allegation that the Assam government is carrying out a ‘Bengali hatao’ movement, saying, “Simply being able to speak Bengali doesn’t mean they are Bengalis.”