Mamata Banerjee to hold rally in Kolkata against citizenship law

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a rally this afternoon to protest against the amended citizenship law, passed by Parliament last week, reports Hindustan Times. 

“A mega rally will be held today in #Kolkata to protest against unconstitutional #CABBill & #NRC. It will begin at 1pm near the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Red Road & end at Jorasanko Thakurbari,” Banerjee said on Twitter. 

She also asked people to join the rally in a “peaceful manner”.

A mega rally will be held today in #Kolkata to protest against unconstitutional #CABBill & #NRC. It will begin at 1pm near the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Red Road & end at Jorasanko Thakurbari.(1/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 16, 2019

Protests over the new citizenship law continued in the state for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, with incidents of road and rail blockades reported from various parts of the state.

In East Midnapore and Murshidabad districts, the agitators blocked thoroughfares since morning, inconveniencing hundreds of commuters, officials said.

Several trains have been cancelled or delayed due to the ongoing protests, they added.

Internet services remained suspended in six districts of state - Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and parts of South 24 Parganas districts - where agitation over the amended Act have brought life to a halt.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankar had on Sunday accused Banerjee of wasting public money on the campaign against the law on television instead of insuring police effectively curbed the state-wide arson.

“The government must act very very fast on that (the advertisement). I am sure the chief minister will at least withdraw those ads. They are absolutely unconstitutional. Impermissible. It is an atrociously criminal use of public funds.” 

Dhankhar said, referring to the television campaign being aired since Saturday.

In the campaign, the chief minister asks people to refrain from violence while assuring that her government would not implement the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bengal.

“What I have seen these days has pained me and shocked me. There is a total absence of accountability in certain quarters. It is not an occasion for lip service. It is an occasion to be in action mode,” the governor told the media outside the Raj Bhavan on Sunday.

Dhankar also hit back at Banerjee’s frequent allegations that he was running a parallel administration in the state and said the chief minister should act as per the Constitution to restore the confidence of the people.

On Sunday night, the officer in-charge of Uluberia police station, along with a few other police personnel, sustained injuries after they were attacked by the agitators.

They had to be admitted to a nearby hospital, district officials said.

Incidents of violence, loot and arson were also reported from Nadia and Birbhum districts.