Mamata Banerjee has no authority to stop implementing CAA: Minister

Kolkata :Union Minister Shantanu Thakur on Saturday claimed Saturday that the Trinamool Congress or Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have no authority to prevent the implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Thakur, who is the BJP Lok Sabha member from West Bengal and Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, however, made it clear that CAA will be implemented shortly.

However, he admitted that his claim on January 29 that CAA would be implemented within a week was “slip of tongue”.

“Actually, I wanted to mean that framing of rules for CAA will be finalised. It was a slip of tongue,” Thakur admitted.

According to Thakur, those who are opposing CAA through agitations and demonstrations are doing so because of sheer political reasons.

“The West Bengal Chief Minister has no authority about the implementation of CAA. The state government is also part of the country. On external affairs issues, the state government’s objections really do not matter,” Thakur said.

According to the BJP MP, since CAA is a popular demand and the BJP has already promised its implementation, it will be fulfilled at any cost.

Soon after Thakur had claimed implementation of CAA on January 29, Mamata Banerjee had launched a scathing attack against him, claiming that the BJP always brings up the CAA issue before any election.

“This is a deliberate political attempt to ignite religious sentiments before the elections. What is the point in highlighting the CAA issue so much when everyone is a citizen? Otherwise they could not have voted for so many years,” Banerjee had said.

IANS with edits