KOLKATA: The BJP-led central government's move to implement the new citizenship law and its proposal to conduct an NRC exercise across the nation might lead to a "civil war-like situation", Krishna Bose, a former TMC MP and kin of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, said on Friday.
The Centre was going all out to target the Muslims, as was evident from its "adamant attitude" in enacting the contentious law, she claimed.
"Today, we are in a terrible situation, where the Centre is forcing its divisive principles (on people). It's clear that the Muslims in our country are being targeted by the Centre. And they (the Centre) are stating it directly.
"They are talking about other communities, the Buddhists, the Jains, and others, but only one name has been omitted and here lies the controversy. Why not include everybody who faced persecution? There is no doubt that CAA is targeted towards the Muslims," Bose told PTI.
The octogenarian claimed that the implementation of CAA was an attempt to turn the country into a 'Hindu Rashtra', in tune with the vision of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
"So far, the protests had been mixed. But what (the country) is going through might almost lead towards a civil war. I hope not but it looks like that," she contemplated.
"The ideology of the RSS to have a Hindu Rashtra has become a part of their (BJP's) belief system, too. They are very adamant about it and they are openly saying it," she said, referring to Union home minister Amit Shah's firm stand to implement the CAA.
The former TMC MP also contended that the Narendra Modi government had no right to force its decision on common people, just because it won the polls by a mammoth majority.
"People are being labelled as traitors for protesting against the government. This is unacceptable. Freedom of speech and expression is at stake. You cannot say anything. This is terrible," she said.
Drawing a parallel between present-day India and Nazi Germany, she said, "Everyone is recounting the days of (Adolf) Hitler.
This was exactly how the situation was in the 1930s, and he (Hitler) was quite popular at that time.
Today the situation somewhat looks similar," she stated.
On the role of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in spearheading the protests against the CAA, Bose said: "It's she who began the agitation.
She has been registering her protest with all heart and soul.
" The former parliamentarian was also critical about the attacks on students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and at Viswa Bharati University in Bolpur.
She, however, showered praise on the students' community for coming together at a time when the country is going through a "critical time".
"I am very happy that the youth and students have come forward in this critical hour, something that the opposition parties could not do. We should lend them support.
"But we can see they are being beaten up and treated in the cruelest manner. I am afraid for them. I pray and hope that they succeed. I want them to win this war. It is a ray of hope for us that the generation is conscious," she said.
Bose urged the protesters to follow the ideals of Netaji, not mix religion with politics.
"There were Hindus, Muslims and Christians in Netaji's Azad Hind Fauj. They came together to fight for the country's Independence. Netaji had warned that religion and politics should not be mixed. He also said that it was easy to separate people who have been united by religion," she said, urging people to adopt the freedom fighter's slogan of Itmad (Faith), Ittefaq (Unity) and Kurbani (sacrifice).