Home Minister Amit Shah at the Kolkata rally. (Twitter/@BJP4India)
Amit Shah in Kolkata Highlights: Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that dreams of “Sonar Bangla” will not be fulfilled under Mamata Banerjee. Addressing a rally in Kolkata’s Shahid Minar Grounds, Shah said, “Bring the BJP to power and in five years, we will make the dream come true. This government of Mamata di is not allowing PM Modi to develop West Bengal. You gave chances to the Communists for two decades and to Mamata di for 10 years. Did they develop the state? No. Give us five years, we will turn Bengal into Sonar Bangla.”
Shah arrived in Kolkata to address a rally on the Citizenship Amendment Act amid protests by opposition parties who raised ‘Go back’ slogans outside the airport. He also inaugurated a new building of National Security Guards at Rajarhat earlier in the day. This is Shah’s second visit to West Bengal after assuming office as Union Home Minister. Party workers from districts across Bengal began pouring into the city since Saturday night to attend the ‘Abhinandan’ rally. They are expected to take out rallies from different points in the city including Howrah station and converge at the rally venue.
CPM leader Mohammad Salim, who has called upon the people of the state to protest against Shah’s visit, had earlier told reporters, “The youth and students’ wings of our party will hit the streets on March 1 to protest against the arrival of the Union home minister here. All democratic people should also join this protest.”
Home Minister Amit Shah outside the Bhubaneswar temple on Saturday. (Twitter/@amitshah)
The incendiary ‘Goli maaro…(shoot the traitors)’ slogan was heard in Kolkata on Sunday after it was reportedly raised by a section of BJP workers on their way to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally at Shahid Minar ground. Sharing a video of the incident, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim said it took just one visit from the Home Minister to spread the ‘Goli maaro’ slogan in the city. Read more...
Union Home Minister Amit Shah offers prayers at Kalighat Temple in Kolkata.
"The Sonar Bangla will not be formed under Mamata di. Bring the BJP to power and in five years, we will make the dream come true. This government of Mamata di is not allowing PM Modi to develop West Bengal. You gave chances to the Communists for two decades and to Mamata di for 10 years. Did they develop the state? No. Give us five years, we will turn Bengal into Sonar Bangla," Amit Shah said.
A jubilant BJP supporter poses for a photograph before Amit Shah's rally in Kolkata's Shahid Minar on Sunday. (Express Photo: Shashi Ghosh)
BJP supporters arrive at Amit Shah's rally in Shahid Minar Ground in Kolkata. (Express Photo: Shashi Ghosh)
"Mamata di raised the issue of citizenship to refugees herself when she was in the opposition. However, when PM Modi brought the CAA, she is standing with the Congress and Communists in Opposition again There were riots in Bengal. Trains and railway stations were burnt. How have the Dalits wronged you in any way? Why are you protesting when we want to give them citizenship? " Amit Shah said.
'Under Mamata's leadership, Bengal is lagging behind in terms of development. You cannot have 'sonar Bangla' under Mamata's watch,' Amit Shah said.
"I want to tell all the minorities that the Citizenship Amendment Act will in no way take away your rights. Mamata can think whatever she wants. I am saying, we will provide citizenship to everyone. People are being told that you will have to produce documents. BJP will provide citizenship to everyone, the chief minister cannot stop us," Amit Shah said.
"You tell me, shouldn't Article 370 have been removed? Mamata Banerjee had protested against the move in Parliament. Our Prime Minister has removed all obstructions for Ram Temple," Amit Shah said.
"If you want to take Bengal on the path of development, you will have to fight against the injustice in Bengal. We won't allow dynasty rule in Bengal. Mamata says 'Didi Ke Bolo'. The people should tell her that they will not put up with any injustice anymore," Amit Shah said in Kolkata.
"This journey is not of the BJP but of the people of Bengal, to protest against poverty and bring an end to 'syndicates and toll bazi'. This journey is to provide citizenship to several people here. They had denied permission for my chopper earlier. False cases were registered against BJP workers. But Mamata di couldn't stop us. You can continue with your atrocities, the people of Bengal have now seen your real face. This rally is against the goons of TMC," Amit Shah said.
Addressing workers in Kolkata, Shah said, "BJP has won 18 out of 42 seats in Lok Sabha. I pay my respect to the great land of people. It is because of the great people of Bengal that Prime Minister Narendra Modi won the 2014 polls with a majority. Mamata should be careful - in the coming upcoming assembly elections, it is the BJP who will form the government here."
Amit Shah has begun addressing the crowd in Kolkata.
Home Minister Amit Shah has arrived at Shahid Minar Ground in Kolkata.
BJP leaders have started addressing the workers and supporters at Shahid Minar Ground.
Ahead of the pro-CAA rally at Shahid Minar Ground, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a dig at Shah over the "politics of discrimination". "Today on #ZeroDiscriminationDay, it pains me to witness the politics of discrimination being woven into the fabric of India. Let us pledge to uproot all forms of division based on caste, creed, and religion from our society. We will never stand for discrimination of any kind," she tweeted.
Stage set at Shahid Minar Ground for Home Minister Amit Shah's rally. (Express photo/Partha Paul)
Earlier in the day, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said, "In Assam, 19 lakh Bengalis are being driven out. Here, the people of Bengal will not allow CAA or NRC. The movement is being led by Mamata Banerjee. We are not worried about who comes and goes. We do not care if someone comes from outside and goes back."
Besides speaking on the Citizenship Amendment Act, Shah will also launch the Aar Noi Annay (no more injustice) movement to highlight and protest against the “injustice caused to the people of West Bengal by the Mamata Banerjee government”.
BJP workers and supporters head towards Shahid Minar Ground for Home Minister Amit Shah's rally on Sunday. (Express photo/Partha Paul)
Taking to Twitter, BJP leader Mukul Roy said, "People are ready for change."
On the protests which were planned earlier, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha had said, “Everyone has the right to protest. CPM and Congress can also protest. But if they try to disrupt our rally, then we know how to tackle them.”
A poster, saying, 'Go Back' (Amit Shah) spotted at Park Circus in Kolkata on Sunday. (Express photo/Shashi Ghosh)
"The Centre has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. This government has conducted a surgical strike and an airstrike. After two countries (US and Israel), India is now the third country in the world to conduct such a strike. We are preparing a system where jawans can spend at least 100 days with their families," Amit Shah said.
The Home Minister, on the other hand, inaugurated 29 Special Composite Group Complex of NSG in Rajarhat.
Left protests against Home Minister Amit Shah's visit at Esplanade in Kolkata. (Express photo/Partha Paul)
Meanwhile, Left parties today staged a protest in various part of the city against the home minister's visit. Protests by Left supporters are currently underway at gate number 1 of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Park Circus and Shyambazar.
From Saturday night, party workers from the districts poured into the city for whom the BJP has made arrangements. On Sunday, the party workers will take out rallies from different points of the city as well as Howrah station and converge at the venue. According to state BJP leaders, the party initially had a hard time with Bengal turning out to be one of the major focal points for anti-CAA protests. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, had hit the streets for days in protest against CAA, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).
Speaking to The Sunday Express, BJP state secretary Sayantan Basu said, “Over one lakh people will attend the rally tomorrow. Our workers from the districts will come to Kolkata to hear Amit Shah-ji speak. CAA is a great Act brought in by Modi ji and Amit Shah ji. Tomorrow, the people of Bengal will thank them for that. They have understood the pain of Bengali refugees, who were forced out of Bangladesh. The Act not only recognised their plight, but also gave them respect in the country.” “The Left and others are against the Bengali refugees, and that is why they are protesting,” Basu added.
Home Minister Amit Shah will address a rally at Shahid Minar Ground in Kolkata on Sunday, even as Left parties and Muslim organisations plan to hold protests. This will be Shah’s second visit to West Bengal after assuming office as Union Home Minister. According to BJP, over one lakh party workers will attend Shah’s ‘Abhinandan’ rally during which he will speak on the Citizenship Amendment Act. Follow our blog for all the latest updates.