PM faces protests from students’ wing of the ruling TMC as well Left Front activists, both of which have been protesting against the CAA
AGENCIES / KOLKATA
Amid ongoing protest over new citizenship law, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here and requested him to withdraw CAA, NRC, and NPR.
Modi told her to come to New Delhi and discuss the matter, she told reporters after a meeting with the PM at Raj Bhawan.
Banerjee termed her meeting with PM Modi as “courtesy visit” and said she has raised issues regarding the due financial assistance that the state is yet to receive.
“It was a courtesy meeting. I told him about the Rs 28,000 crore that the state is yet to receive from the Centre.
“I also told him that protest is going on across the country against CAA, NRC and NPR. I acquainted him that we are against CAA, NPR and NRC. I asked him that the Centre should rethink on the issues and withdraw CAA,” she said.
Soon after meeting PM Modi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended a TMC students wing sit-in demonstration in the city against CAA.
Mayhem broke out over the meeting at Trinamool Chhatra Parishad’s ongoing sit-in protest at Rani Rashmoni Avenue, a place located close to the Raj Bhavan.
Left students chanting ‘Azadi’ and ‘Shame shame’ broke three barricades put up near the stage of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad’s sit-in at Rani Rashmoni Avenue and demanded an explanation from Banerjee for meeting Modi, who they said is behind CAA and NRC.
Banerjee rushed to the stage and tried to pacify the protesting students.
The TMCP students raised counter slogans chanting ‘Bande Mataram’ and ‘Down with BJP and its cohorts’. Police rushed to the site.
The protest prompted Banerjee to issue a clarification saying she had to meet Modi out of her “constitutional obligation”.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kolkata was met with protests from students’ wing of the ruling Trinamool Congress as well Left Front activists, both of which have been protesting against the amended Citizenship Act.
The PM is on two day visit to the state
Activists hold placards and shout slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they participate in a protest against the amended new citizenship law in Kolkata on Saturday. AFP photo
Trinamool Congress students’ wing, TMCP, held their dharna against CAA, NRC and National Population Register (NPR) on Friday at Rani Rashmoni Road in Kolkata.
The Left Front activists staged protests on Saturday against the new citizenship law in various parts of North 24 Parganas district.