Calcutta: Union Minister Shantanu Thakur has asserted a significant statement regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), declaring that the implementation of CAA across the nation will occur within the next week. This announcement was made during an event in Kakdweep, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Thakur, while addressing the audience, guaranteed that the law would not only be enforced in Bengal but throughout the entire country within the next seven days.
In reference to CAA, Union Minister Shantanu Thakur also referenced Union Home Minister Amit Shah's speech from December of the previous year. Shah had characterized the Citizenship Amendment Act as the 'law of the country,' emphasizing that its implementation could not be obstructed. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was accused of misleading the public on matters related to CAA.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, introduced by the NDA government under the leadership of Narendra Modi, provides Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslims (Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians) who arrived in India from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan until December 31, 2014. This legislation was passed by the Parliament in December 2019 and subsequently sent to the President for approval. However, the enactment of the law triggered protests across various states in the country, including prolonged demonstrations in Delhi, such as those in Shaheen Bagh and other areas.
In 2020, the TMC government in Bengal, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, passed a resolution against CAA, making West Bengal the fourth state to take such a stance. Banerjee had firmly stated, "We will not allow the implementation of CAA, NPR, and NRC in Bengal."
