CAA to be enforced by December: BJP MLA

The BJP MLA added that it was the need of the hour for refugees in West Bengal to witness the CAA being implemented, as it has been their longstanding demand.

The BJP, however, distanced itself from such claims and maintained that no discussion was held in the party over the issue. “I have not heard such claims by our MLA. So far, no discussion has been held regarding the issue in the party,” said another BJP MLA Manoj Tigga.

The Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would never allow the CAA to be implemented in the state.

State minister Jyotipriyo Mallick told reporters, “The BJP is trying to mislead the people, especially the refugee community, by making such baseless remarks. Our party’s stand is clear that under no circumstances CAA will be implemented in the state. At the same time, it will not be implemented in the country as well, as more than 300 cases related to CAA are still pending with the court.”

Earlier this week, leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured him that rules regarding the CAA will be framed after the Covid-19 precaution dose vaccination exercise got over.

Passed by Parliament in December 2019, the CAA is yet to be rolled out as rules regarding the same are yet to be framed.

The CAA seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis entering India on or before December 31, 2014 from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after five years of residence here.