Mamata Banerjee Challenges BSF's Role, Orders Permits for Border Dwellers
CM's Move Seen as Strategy to Engage Locals and Pressure Center; Focus on NRC and CAA Politics
In an effort to thwart any plans by the Border Security Force (BSF) to provide comparable documentation, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered the district judge of South Dinajpur on Tuesday to grant permissions to those who live close to the Bangladeshi border and have farmland that is outside of barriers.
Identity cards will be distributed by the BSF to residents of nearby villages. They are going to be kicked out of the nation if they take it. "The district magistrate ought to grant permits to these individuals if necessary, enabling them to cross the fences for their everyday tasks," Mamata said on Tuesday afternoon during a public service distribution event in Balurghat.
Political analysts claimed that her action is part of a two-pronged plan to engage border dwellers and put pressure on the Center, where the BSF is housed under the Union home ministry.
Ten districts of Bengal are bordered by Bangladesh.
In her address, Mamata said that while law and order is a matter of state, the BSF was acting outside of its purview.
According to sources, during the most recent Lok Sabha elections, the BSF was in charge of overseeing lines at voting places in this area (South Dinajpur). This is not what they do. This time, the police and the district administration had to keep a close eye on things, she remarked.
Sukanta Majumdar of the BJP won the Balurghat seat in 2019. Currently, he leads the state BJP unit.
Before the elections, she said that the BJP was engaging in polarizing politics. The BJP brings up the NRC when it comes to elections. To be clear, we won't allow that to occur. Such divisive tactics are ineffective. We want the triumph of democracy. The party is also bringing up the CAA. Mamata questioned, "We would want to know whether the Matuas are citizens or not.
Her statement comes after BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Santanu Thakur recently said that the CAA will be enacted shortly.
During public service distribution programs in Raiganj and Balurghat, Mamata expounded on the many welfare projects implemented by her government and solicited the assistance of the populace to overcome rival initiatives.
"Trinamul is the only one who can beat the BJP, the CPM, and the Congress. Bengal will set the standard in the next years for national politics. In Raiganj, she said, "These people (other parties) have not done anything for you and are now seeking votes."
Mamata's comments, according to a Raiganj-based Trinamul official, made it quite evident that she intended to fight the BJP on her own in Bengal.
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