The interest and rights of every Indian citizen shall be protected and those who have illegally entered the country shall be dealt as per law, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani said here on Tuesday.
Ms Irani who, was in Kolkata to mark 100 days of the Narendra Modi government, was responding to questions on the possible implementation of National Register of Citizens ( NRC) in West Bengal.
“The BJP is dedicated to protecting the rights of citizens of India. It has articulated its stand against illegal infiltration on many platforms,” the Union minister said. Ms Irani comments comes in the backdrop of a resolution passed by the West Bengal Assembly against NRC in Assam.
During her address, the BJP MP from Amethi spoke about the earlier stand taken by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue of illegal infiltration. Referring to the incident of July 21, 1993, she pointed out that 13 Youth Congress supporters were killed in police firing by Left Front government when they were rallying for ‘no voter card, no vote’ under the leadership of Ms. Banerjee. Citing the incident, the Union minister also mocked the Chief Minister for joining forces with Left parties in opposing the NRC.
Ms. Irani also added that because of the stand-off between the Centre and West Bengal government, a large number of people in the State were deprived of benefits of Centre’s schemes. “The belligerent stand taken by Mamata Banerjee has actually ensured that benefits which should have reached farmers, women and children and the industry are not reaching them,” she said.
Ms. Irani said the repercussions were felt in the recent Lok Sabha polls. “People of Bengal want things to change politically so that the benefits rolled out by the Narendra Modi government should reach them,” she said.