On the campaign trail in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that after four phases of polling, “I can say PM Modi has already won 270 seats.”
Amit Shah said: “Four phases of polling have been completed. Elections for 380 seats have been completed. Elections for 18 seats in Bengal have been completed. Today I tell you that out of 380, PM Modi has achieved absolute majority by winning 270 seats. The fight ahead is to cross 400.”
Addressing a public meeting in Bongaon in favour of Shantanu Thakur, the Union Minister of State for Ports and Shipping, he said Mamata Banerjee’s stand against the CAA was “nothing but vote bank politics”. He asserted that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would not be able to stop the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act since the matter lies in the hands of the Central Government.
Referring to Mamata Banerjee, he said: “Didi is lying. No one will face any problem due to CAA. Everyone will get citizenship. This is PM Modi’s guarantee.”
“Didi only practices vote bank politics. She makes infiltrators citizens illegally,” he said, adding: “We will have to stop illegal immigration.”
Shah accused Banerjee of “lying” and spreading canards about the CAA. “Mamata Banerjee is lying that anyone who applies for citizenship under the CAA will face problems. I have come to assure the people of the Matua community that no one will face any trouble. You will get citizenship and will be able to live with respect in the country,” he added.
Seaking at the election rally in Bongaon which has a substantial presence of Matuas, a sect of low-caste Hindus who have migrated from neighbouring Bangladesh, the Union Home Minister explained that the CAA would help minorities from three neighbouring Islamic nations fast-track their Indian citizenship process if they had fled due to religious persecution.
Shah said: “Mamata Banerjee can never stop the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act in Bengal as it is a law by the Central Government.”
“No power in the world can stop my refugee brothers from becoming citizens of India. This is the promise of Modi Ji. Mamata Banerjee must remember that citizenship falls under the exclusive authority of the Central Government, not the State Government’s,” he said.
Speaking in another rally in Uluberia, Home Minister Shah also asserted that India’s journey of development and glory would continue uninterrupted under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the people of Varanasi would bless him with a record margin of victory again.