PURULIA: Slamming the BJP government for "trying to brand those protesting against the amended citizenship law as anti-nationals", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged political parties and civil societies to join hands and isolate the saffron party.
Addressing a rally here during a 5-km protest march against the law, she alleged that the BJP was "trying to strip the country's bona fide citizens of their citizenship".
Banerjee, who is also the TMC boss, iterated that she would not allow the updation of National Population Register in the state and her government had stayed the process.
"I would appeal to everyone to join hands against the BJP and isolate them everywhere. Political parties, civil society groups and students' communities should oppose and isolate the party across the country. They want to take away our independence. We will not let that happen," she said.
Lending support to the students protesting across the cities against the amended law, she wondered why those who have turned 18 and exercised their franchise be criticized for agitating against a government policy or decision.
"I extend my support to students protesting (against the law). I will not stop my protest till the CAA is withdrawn. Just ensure that your name appears on the voters' list. The rest will be taken care of by me. No one will have to leave this country," she said.
Banerjee, who is among the vocal critics of the BJP, insisted that no one would have to leave the country as long as she was alive.
"Your (Centre's) writ runs in Delhi. Don't think the state will fall in line. We will neither implement CAA nor NPR in Bengal. You can do whatever you want to."
"As long as I am alive, CAA will not be implemented in Bengal. No one has to leave the country or the state. There will not be any detention centre in Bengal," the CM, who has held five protest marches and two rallies in Kolkata since December 16 against the citizenship law, added.
Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato of the BJP had earlier this year won the Purulia Lok Sabha seat, which has a significant tribal population.